The Milwaukee Bucks will need a healthy and productive Khris Middleton if they are to have any chance of fulfilling their potential as a title contender.
With a sprained ankle that kept him out of 16 games, Middleton informed reporters on Saturday that he will play the Suns on Sunday.
The former All-Star and Olympian, Middleton, is shooting 37.8% from three this season and averaging 14.8 points, five assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game. He hasn’t appeared to be the player he was a few years ago, but like everyone else, he was adjusting to a Bucks club that has undergone significant transition this season.
One of Doc Rivers’ most significant coaching adjustments has been to encourage more two-man plays between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. However, those plays become even more lethal when Middleton, a shooter and shot creator, is open to receiving a swing pass. The Bucks have moments when they appear like a club that can compete with Boston in the East and moments when it appears unlikely that they will make it to the conference finals. With a month to go before the playoffs begin, they need to establish a routine and hope to maintain their two- or three-seed, which would place them against the Celtics in the bracket. One, they currently only find infrequently.
In the end, Middleton’s return was essential for the Bucks to have any chance of winning. They now need to settle into a routine, and that process begins on Sunday.
- Brown Nabs Victory Over Yale with Dramatic OT 3-Pointer at Buzzer
- FA Cup Buzz: Pochettino’s Second Chance at Glory; Can Liverpool maintain quadruple push?
- Channing Tatum Supports Lenny Kravitz at Heartfelt Event: A Father-in-Law Bond in the Making
- Indiyah Polack Presents Exciting Krispy Kreme x PrettyLittleThing Collaboration on YouTube
- Northern Ireland Gears Up for St. Patrick’s Day Celebrations: Parades Set to Enliven the Streets