Wall bests former teammate Bledsoe in Wizards-Clipper’s game
It was the battle of the former Kentucky backcourt mates and give round one to John Wall, who got the best of former teammate Eric Bledsoe at Cox Pavilion with Wall’s Washington Wizards beating Bledsoe’s Los Angeles Clippers, 89-64.
Wall had 15 points, 10 assists, five steals and only four turnovers (he had eight on Sunday). Bledsoe, making his NBA debut, was 6 of 15 from the floor and finished with 17 points. He also had a whopping 10 turnovers. That had to make new Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro cringe as he watched courtside with Clips owner Donald T. Sterling sitting next to him.
Both Wall and Bledsoe displayed their toughness after each got knocked down driving to the basket in the first quarter. Bledsoe never left the court while Wall came back to the action a couple minutes later.
Wall definitely looked more comfortable as evidenced by an increase in his assists and a reduction by 50 percent in his turnovers. Bledsoe also played with confidence and he figures to be smarter with the ball as he gets to know his teammates.
STERN SPLITS
Unlike last year when he took in some summer league action in the Thomas & Mack, NBA commissioner David Stern didn’t stick around after the Board of Governors meeting earlier today at the Palms.
“I’ve been traveling a lot,” Stern said as he prepared to head back to New York. Deputy commish Adam Silver did stick around to watch the Wizards-Clippers game.
HEARD AND SEEN
With the Clippers in Vegas, that meant one thing — Clipper Darrell was in the house. The obnoxious superfan was at his irritating best, trying to get under John Wall’s skin, calling him “overrated” which is pretty funny coming from someone whose team has been lifelong underachievers.