Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton has had an up and down postseason thus far. On the flip side of the coin, he has also provided Milwaukee with multiple noteworthy performances.
During the Bucks’ second-round playoff series against the Brooklyn Nets, Middleton scored a total of 30 points in Games 1 and 2. And he was just 13-for-43 from the field in those two contests. Things changed after that, however.
Khris Middleton Reminds us that the Milwaukee Bucks aren’t a One-man Show
In Game 3, though, he put up 35 points, helping the Bucks get back into that series. Then, after Milwaukee fell behind 3-2, Middleton scored 38 points. Milwaukee went on to win that series in seven games. As a result, the Bucks advanced to the conference finals for the second time in three seasons.
Middleton was quiet in the first two games of this series against the Atlanta Hawks as well. In the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals, Middleton produced a total of 30 points while shooting 33 percent from the field (12-for-36). Not only that, Middleton connected on just two of his 16 attempts from beyond the arc.
The Bucks needed a win against the Hawks in Game 3 to reclaim the home-court advantage. While Giannis Antetokounmpo imposed his will against Atlanta’s defense (33 points, 11 rebounds, and four assists), the home team led for most of the game through the first three quarters.
On cue, Middleton stepped up once again. Through the first three quarters, he tallied 18 points, but he saved his best for the final frame. In the last 12 minutes of the contest, Middleton scored 20 points on 8-for-13 shooting from the field. This includes a stretch in which he hit three consecutive 3-pointers.
When it was all said and done, Middleton produced one of his best outings of the 2021 NBA playoffs. He finished with a game-high 38 points to go along with 11 rebounds and seven assists. He also shot 15-for-26 from the field and 6-for-12 from beyond the arc. To put the latter part of his stat line into perspective, the rest of the Bucks players combined to hit five 3-point shots.
The Bucks have come up short in the last two postseasons. But if Middleton can continue playing at this level, the Bucks will advance to the NBA Finals for the first time in 47 years.
Main Image: Embed from Getty Images
