Injuries limited Khris Middleton's availability the past two seasons. Dame Lillard has displaced him as the No. 2 scoring option. But Middleton's efficiency as a shooter and scorer is critical to the Milwaukee Bucks' title aspirations.
MILWAUKEE — In any analysis of the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA title chances, Khris Middleton’s durability is an X factor.four to seven fewer minutes per night;And yet, in his most recent sample of work — the 2024 playoff series with Indiana — Middleton stepped up when Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard went down. Middleton averaged 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists while playing 38 minutes a night. This was the three-time NBA All-Star version of Khris Middleton.
Offseason arthroscopic cleanup on both ankles was called a success. "Middleton was walking without pain or discomfort when he visited his teammates in Las Vegas for summer league action,"Here are three reasons to be excited about the Bucks' offensive potential with Giannis, Dame, and a healthy Middleton.In the 21st-century NBA, the 10- to 20-foot jumpshot has become a lost art. But not for Middleton, a master of the mid-range.
In the 2023-24 regular season, Middleton was the Bucks' second-leading scorer in fourth quarters after Antetokounmpo . Middleton's final-period average of 6.1 points wasof 24.6 to 27.4 percent — the share of offensive plays that ended with Middleton taking a shot, a free throw, or committing a turnover — reflected his place in the hierarchy.
Enter Lillard in 2023-24 and Middleton became third choice. But while he took three fewer shots per night than in his All-Star seasons, he remained a reliable contributor: 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds and 5.3 assists with an effective field goal percentage of almost 57 percent.The Bucks will continue to count on Middleton to make the most of his fewer chances. But as the last postseason showed, if circumstances require Middleton to take on a bigger role in the offense, he is still capable.
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