Khris Middleton’s scoring production has been on a downward trend since last season, but while that might be a cause for concern, at least one area of his offense is thriving.
Among NBA players with at least 40 attempts from the mid-range spot this 2022-23 season, Middleton has the highest shooting rate at 58.7 percent. In comparison, the league’s GOAT shooter in Golden State Warriors superstar Stephen Curry is at number four with 54.5 percent shooting clip from mid-range.
San Antonio Spurs rising star Devin Vassell (56.3 percent) and Denver Nuggets scorer Michael Porter Jr. (54.8 percent) are second and third, respectively, according to NBA University.
While it’s only a small sample size, it’s definitely a good sign for Middleton, who is averaging 11.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists on 46.4 percent overall shooting and 34.4 percent from deep this campaign. His scoring is actually the second lowest of his career, only ahead of his rookie year.
Highest Mid-Range FG%
1. Middleton: 58.7%—46 FGA
2. Vassell: 56.3%—48
3. MPJ: 54.8%—42
4. Steph: 54.5%—44
5. Ayton: 53.2%—47
6. Jokic: 53.1%—49
7. SGA: 52.4%—84
8. Schroder: 51.9%—52
9. Tatum: 50.8%—63
10. KCP: 48.9%—47
11. Ingram: 48.8%—123
.
52.Poole: 27.9%—43
53. AD: 18.2%—44 pic.twitter.com/7XuNnxKGJ6— NBA University (@NBA_University) December 6, 2023
From 2017 to 2022, Middleton actually averaged 19.9 points on 46.4 percent overall shooting and 38.6 percent 3-point shooting. During the 2022-23 campaign, it started to slip to 15 points a night to just 12 points this year.
Perhaps the fact that Middleton moved from the second option on offense to third after the arrival of Damian Lillard may have played a role in that. Regardless, though, it could still be a blessing in disguise for the Bucks.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo anchoring the painted area as one of the most efficient scorers in the NBA and Damian Lillard covering everything beyond the arc, Khris Middleton might have just found his perfect place from the mid-range.
Bucks Thriving Even With Khris Middleton Struggling
Despite Khris Middleton’s decrease in production, the Bucks remain one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference. Heading to their NBA In-Season Tournament showdown with the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, the Milwaukee franchise ranks no. 2 in the East with a 15-6 record.
The Bucks also boast the third-best offensive rating in the league at 119.2, only behind the Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers.
While fans would hope to see Middleton improve his offensive numbers, the fact of the matter is it hasn’t been felt that much by the team. Middleton is playing his role to perfection, and perhaps once he adjusts to his role fully, we could see an uptick on his numbers.
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