The Milwaukee Bucks have a lot of work to do this off-season if they hope to win the NBA Championship. Khris Middleton was an integral part of last year’s team, and his return could make them one of favorites in 2018/19.
The Milwaukee Bucks need to get the old Khris Middleton back if they hope to win a second straight championship. The team lost their leading scorer in free agency, and he was the best player on the team. Read more in detail here: khris middleton.
Khris Middleton was an underappreciated member of the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Championship team last season. When the squad needed it the most, Khash delivered clutch baskets in huge games. Khris Middleton closed out the Atlanta Hawks while Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined, and Khris Middleton kept Milwaukee in the series against Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets.
Middleton, on the other hand, has always been underappreciated. From a second-round selection to a trade throw-in to a three-time NBA All-Star, he’s come a long way.
However, in comparison to previous seasons, the 30-year-old is having a bad year. If the Bucks want to repeat as champs, they will need the old K-Mid back.
The Milwaukee Bucks are still in contention for the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
The Bucks are now sixth in the NBA in scoring, but Middleton’s difficulties haven’t completely shut down the offense. Many issues are cured by having a two-time MVP.
And although Khris was picked to his third All-Star squad, there’s a legitimate case that his slot should have gone to teammate Jrue Holiday. Holiday is still one of the finest defensive guards in the NBA, if not the best.
He averages 1.5 steals per game and shown how important his defensive performance can be in last year’s Finals. Jrue’s field-goal %, three-point percentage, and effective field-goal percentage are all at career highs.
As the only legitimate point guard on the roster who is contributing anything, he also leads the Bucks in minutes. Milwaukee’s backup at that position is George Hill, who is presently sidelined and suffering one of his worst shooting seasons in his career.
Despite this, Giannis and company entered the All-Star break with a 36-24 record, good for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. They’re 2.5 games behind the Miami Heat and Chicago Bulls, tied with the Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
However, a late-game push from Middleton would catapult Milwaukee to a new level.
Khris Middleton is enjoying one of his least productive seasons in his professional career.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ Khris Middleton walks off the court following a 121-114 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. | Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
After excluding his rookie season with the Detroit Pistons, when he appeared in 27 games, Khris has a lifetime shooting percentage of 45.9%. In eight seasons, he’s hit 39.2 percent of his threes, 49.5 percent of his twos, 52.8 percent of his field goals, and 88.0 percent of his free throws.
Middleton, on the other hand, is shooting a career-low 43.8 percent from the field and 35.6 percent from three through 48 games in 2021-22. (also a career-low with the exception of his rookie season when he took fewer than two per game).
He hasn’t had a worse effective field-goal percentage since 2015-16. The fact that he’s turning the ball over at a career-high 2.9 times per game is maybe most concerning.
Khash hasn’t had a poor season, but his inefficiency and high turnover rate are a concern. That may not matter much during the regular season, but when it comes to win-or-go-home playoff series, Milwaukee needs the Middleton of the past, not the one they’re receiving now.
Without Khris Middleton, the Bucks will not be able to win back-to-back championships.
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Giannis justifiably receives the majority of the credit for guiding the team to its first title since Lew Alcindor in 1971.
Without Middleton, Milwaukee would not have made it to the Finals at all, much less gone past Durant and the Nets in the East playoffs.
In last year’s postseason, Khris averaged 23.6 points, 7.6 rebounds, 5.1 assists, and 1.3 steals on 39.0 percent three-point shooting, but his clutch moments were khlutch.
Middleton produced a game-high 35 points in the Bucks’ 86-83 victory against Brooklyn, despite being down 2-0. With the season on the line, K-Mid recorded a career-high 38 points in Game 7 to force a Game 7 and then struck the game-winning goal in overtime to send Milwaukee to the Eastern Conference Finals.
In Game 6 against the Atlanta Hawks, he scored a game-high 32 points, including 16 consecutive in the third quarter, to send the Bucks to the Finals. Against the Phoenix Suns, he went on to average 24 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and 1.5 steals.
Khris Middleton was instrumental in the Bucks’ NBA Championship victory last season. If he can’t get back into shape in time this season, Milwaukee won’t go back-to-back.
Basketball Reference provided all statistics.
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