After the Milwaukee Bucks’ impressive comeback win against the Phoenix Suns, Doc Rivers called Khris Middleton a luxury to have on his team. The savvy veteran made his return after a sixteen-game absence due to an ankle sprain that he got from playing against the Suns. So, the win had to be some sweet revenge for Middleton.
Why Is Khris Middleton a Luxury To The Milwaukee Bucks?
The small forward has been an integrated part of the Bucks for the past decade. He was a key piece in the 2021 championship team. He was dearly missed during his injury from that Suns game. In an article from The Athletic, he described Middleton as such:
“When you’re a coach, and you have a guy that can run down and call one of your sets, that you probably were going to call, and get guys organized, man, it’s a luxury.”
Middleton’s Veteran Savvy
What Khris may lack in athleticism, he makes up for it with his impressive basketball IQ. Two players from this century who are similar to his play style are Paul Pierce and Jimmy Butler. Butler, Middleton, and Pierce can shoot well from midrange and create playmaking opportunities for players when they can. Those three players have the ability to read their opponents’ defenses from different areas of the court.
Middleton’s return game, or revenge game in this case, was good. The Bucks routed the Suns 140-129, and Khris scored 22 points while creating 7 assists. He used his size to take advantage of mismatches and court vision to create opportunities for his teammates.
In the post-game press conference, Middleton said that he pays close attention to his coaches’ comments. He tries to be a game-floor coach and get players in certain positions to create the best scoring and defensive opportunities.
Milwaukee’s next four games are against the Celtics, Nets, Lakers, and Thunder. Middleton has some challenging matchups against Jaylen Brown of the Celtics, Lebron James from the Lakers, and the Thunder’s Jalen Williams.
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