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Khris Middleton led the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 NBA Finals after a sensational Game-6 performance on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks. The 29-year-old took charge of the Bucks after Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his knee in Game 4, and now the Bucks are within sniffing distance of an NBA title.
The Phoenix Suns are the last team standing in the Milwaukee Bucks’ way, and Middleton could be a key player in the Bucks' bid to win the championship.
After a roller-coaster first two-and-a-half rounds of the playoffs, Khris Middleton has blossomed into a clutch playoff performer in his last two games. He appears primed to break out as a superstar in the Finals, should he continue to perform at a high level on a nightly basis.
If the confidence he gained in the Eastern Conference Finals is any indication, we might be seeing the nine-year veteran finally embrace stardom with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Khris Middleton’s role with the Milwaukee Bucks
Depending on Antetokounmpo’s fitness, Khris Middleton’s role could change from one game to the next. Assuming the Greek Freak plays half the games in the Finals series, Middleton will have different roles to play.
In the games that the Greek Freak plays in, Khris Middleton will need to feed off the spacing Antetokounmpo’s presence provides. The same is true for the Greek Freak, who benefits from the space Middleton’s shooting provides.
But Antetokounmpo isn’t going to be the only beneficiary of Khris Middleton’s talents. Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez will also have more room to operate in the paint and outside of it as well.
Moreover, Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer will rely on Khris Middleton to be on the floor when Antetokounmpo takes a breather. Middleton becomes the team’s primary scorer and one of their facilitators when Holiday is off the floor as well.
In the games that Antetokounmpo could miss for the Milwaukee Bucks, Khris Middleton will be the team’s no. 1 option in offense and perhaps even their No. 2 as well. Without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the roster, the team will need Middleton’s shoulders to be broader and to take on more responsibilities on offense.
Additionally, the secondary facilitator role that Antetokounmpo takes on for the Milwaukee Bucks will now fall on Khris Middleton’s lap. Moreover, he’s also going to have to take on a more vocal leadership role on the floor for the Bucks to win the series.
Khris Middleton's performance in the 2021 NBA Playoffs so far
Khris Middleton’s inconsistency this postseason caused many Milwaukee Bucks fans to scratch their heads and shake their heads in disappointment multiple times. This was the case with Middleton even during the regular season this campaign.
In the first two rounds of the postseason, Khris Middleton averaged 23.3 points, eight rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.5 steals. He also shot 43.2% from the field and 38% from the three.
Interestingly, the two-time All-Star’s numbers are similar in the Eastern Conference Finals except in two categories - assists and three-pointers. The latter stood at 27.5%, while the other was at 6.5 a game. In his last two games for the Milwaukee Bucks, Khris Middleton elevated his playmaking and averaged 7.5 assists per outing.
As far as his scoring is concerned, Middleton recorded a career-high 38 points in Game 6 of the Eastern semi-finals against the Brooklyn Nets and had a repeat performance in Game 3 against the Hawks. At least twice during this postseason, he has scored 20 or more points in a quarter and has showed a knack of sensing the right moment in the game to take over.
Khris Middleton's key responsibilities against Phoenix Suns in the 2021 NBA Finals
When the Milwaukee Bucks face the Suns in the NBA Finals, Khris Middleton will be matched up with long-arm defensive stopper Mikal Bridges. Bridges is Phoenix’s best perimeter defender, but they also have Jae Crowder, who can make things difficult for the Bucks star.
The Milwaukee Bucks forward will have to use his veteran smarts to shake off Bridges, who has become an indispensable member of the Suns' squad. The slightly bigger and heftier Middleton could use his bulk and height advantage at the midpost, where his jumper is at its best. If Suns coach Monty Williams realizes that it’s time to give the Bucks forward a different look, he could go with Crowder.
It’ll be trickier for Middleton when going up against the more experienced Crowder, who will play in his second straight NBA Finals. Middleton will have to get to his spot quicker and not let his opponent bully him in the post. This is where the Texas A&M product will have to show his versatility when facing a variety of defensive styles, all meant to stop him from scoring.
At the defensive end, Khris Middleton can heave a sigh of relief, though. Neither Bridges nor Crowder are high-volume scorers, though they can get hot from the 3-point range. Thankfully, Middleton won’t have to carry too much of a defensive load when matched up against Crowder or Bridges.
If the Bucks can 'hide' Middleton defensively, they should be able to keep him fresh and enable him to do his work at the other end.
Also Read: Can the Milwaukee Bucks win the championship without Giannis Antetokounmpo | 2021 NBA Finals?
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