The Phoenix Suns will face the Los Angeles Clippers in an NBA 2013 game that will Live Stream online from Los Angeles, California on Monday night at 10:30 PM ET
The Suns are playing surprisingly well, mostly due to their new point guard, Eric Bledsoe, who came to them directly from the the team they are playing Monday night. the Clippers.
Bledsoe, the young player, returns to Staples Center to face his former team for the first time Monday night in a showdown between the Pacific Division's top two teams.
Bledsoe went to the Clippers in a 2010 draft-day trade after being taken by Oklahoma City, and he showed flashes of stardom as an occasional starter as a rookie and the last two seasons as Paul's backup.
But when Paul agreed to a five-year, $107 million extension after Doc Rivers was brought aboard, Los Angeles (21-11) dealt Bledsoe to Phoenix in a three-team deal which also brought the Clips J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley.
The trade almost didn't go through, as it was reported that Clippers owner Donald Sterling, long a fan of Bledsoe, nearly vetoed the deal. But Sterling changed his mind, the trade went through and the Suns (18-11) have turned into a surprise contender.
Phoenix has won nine of 11 after Saturday's 115-101 victory over Philadelphia, and Bledsoe is leading the way for a Suns team that leads the league with 19.1 fast-break points per game. He's averaging 18.4 points, 5.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals -- one of just four players in the league to hit those marks.
Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, and Paul are the other. Pretty good company to be in.
"Man, I'm excited," Paul said of facing his former teammate. "I text Bled all the time, even now during the season when I'm watching him play on League Pass. ... It's gonna be fun. Bled is unbelievable right now. He's better now than he was last year, playing with a lot of confidence, so we're gonna compete."
Paul is playing at an incredible high level of late. After totaling 60 points, 27 assists and eight steals in back-to-back losses at Golden State and Portland, he finished an assist shy of a triple-double and had five steals in Saturday's 98-90 win over Utah.
Blake Griffin, the Clippers' power forward had 40 points and 10 rebounds against the Jazz and has averaged 30.2 points on 55.0 percent shooting in his last five games.
"I looked at the stat sheet after the game and I said, 'Wow, he had 40.' I think his confidence right now is pretty high, and rightfully so," Paul said. "It's great to see how he's dominated games, whether he's taking jump shots, posting up or going to the free throw line. It's fun to watch. I wouldn't know how to guard him."
Griffin was held to a total of 21 points and 13 boards in the Clippers' last two games against the Suns last season, including a 93-88 loss in Phoenix on Jan. 24 that Paul missed with a bruised knee.
The game will be seen on FSW2 as well as live streamed on https://nbalivestreamfree.net/
