It’s been quite a while since we’ve seen Khris Middleton take over a game for the Milwaukee Bucks. On Tuesday, the three-time All-Star gifted us with a vintage performance in crunch time as he stepped up in a major way down the stretch against the Miami Heat.
Thanks to Middleton’s heroics, the Bucks were able to hold off the Heat en route to a 131-124 victory.
Khris Middleton Gets it Done for Milwaukee Bucks
Middleton is still working his way back from offseason knee surgery and the truth of the matter is that he hasn’t looked like his old self just yet. Even on Tuesday against Miami, the 32-year-old did not exactly turn in a mind-blowing performance. However, it’s a fact that the Bucks needed every ounce of Middleton’s clutch play to overcome a relentless Heat side.
After the win, a relieved Adrian Griffin had nothing but high praise for his star swingman and his heroics in crunch time. This included two key buckets in the dying moments of the game that pretty much saved the day for Milwaukee.
“We had to make a decision during that fourth quarter,” Griffin said of his decision to let Middleton play down the stretch. “We had him in. We decided to take him out for a few minutes and play the last five minutes. He was clutch. We need every minute of him on the floor.”
“You can just tell he’s been in this situation a hundred times,” Griffin said. “Just so poised. Under control. Down the stretch he just took over the game. His veteran leadership in invaluable. Whatever minutes we have with Khris on the floor, we’re just (an) elite team.”
Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin gave an update on Pat Connaughton's injury and spoke about winning Group B of the In-Season Tournament. 🔊#FearTheDeer | #NBA pic.twitter.com/ddgmkG6E5z
— Bally Sports Wisconsin (@BallySportWI) November 29, 2023
If Tuesday’s performance in the final minutes of the game is any indication of the level of play Middleton will be able to bring to the table for the Bucks this season on a consistent basis, then there’s no denying that this is going to be a major problem for the rest of the league.
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