Khris Middleton — not two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo — is the important thing to the Milwaukee Bucks’ … [+]
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Following the Milwaukee Bucks’ Recreation 3 victory over the Atlanta Hawks, one factor is obvious — Khris Middleton is the Bucks’ MVP.
Whereas Giannis Antetokounmpo could be the former league MVP and the focus, the important thing to the Bucks’ quest for his or her first championship since 1974 is the play of their two-time All-Star small ahead, Middleton.
It’s Middleton — not Antetokounmpo — who proved to be the distinction within the Bucks’ Recreation 3 victory over the Hawks on Sunday. The 29-year-old swingman scored a playoff career-high 38 factors — together with 20 alone within the fourth quarter — to offer the Bucks a 2-1 sequence lead.
Middleton went 15-of-26 from the sector and 6-of-12 from past the arc to complete with a beginning lineup-high plus-16 plus/minus ranking.
For all of Antetokounmpo’s strengths — and he’s really a once-in-a-generation kind of participant — he’s not a better. That a lot has grow to be evident over the previous two postseasons because the Bucks had been eradicated earlier than even reaching the NBA Finals as a prime seed.
The “Greek Freak’s” incapability to transform free throws and his struggles to transform on 3-point and long-range soar pictures within the closing minutes of video games is well-documented.
In response to NBA.com, Antetokounmpo is changing on simply 43.8 p.c of his free-throw makes an attempt and hasn’t made a single 3-point try in “clutch time” conditions — the final 5 minutes of a recreation with the purpose differential 5 factors or much less — through the postseason.
By comparability, Middleton is hitting 83.3 p.c of his free-throw makes an attempt in “clutch time” conditions — one thing that’s completely pivotal in tight postseason video games which can be usually determined by a key possession or two.
It’s no coincidence that the Bucks are as shut as they’ve ever been to the NBA Finals through the Antetokounmpo period — all as a result of Middleton as emerged as a real nearer.
Whereas the Bucks have at all times had a stable core, they’ve by no means featured a real nearer — till now.
It was the distinction in lots of their playoff shortcomings, together with in 2019 towards the Kawhi Leonard-led Toronto Raptors and the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Warmth.
On this postseason alone, Middleton has hit game-winning/key pictures towards the likes of the Warmth and Brooklyn Nets.
And on this Recreation 3 victory, he transformed on a flurry of huge pictures within the fourth quarter to place away the pesky Hawks.
As Middleton’s confidence continues to develop with every huge shot within the playoffs, so does his want to take these makes an attempt. Which suggests he’s extra aggressive because the group’s unquestioned nearer.
For perspective, Middleton is taking the second-most shot makes an attempt of any participant (4.2 makes an attempt) within the postseason in clutch time conditions — behind Kevin Durant.
That could be a huge enchancment from the 1.8 clutch time shot makes an attempt he averaged through the 2019 postseason and the two.6 shot makes an attempt he averaged through the 2020 postseason.
In different phrases, the Middleton you’re seeing proper now could be extra assured than the Middleton you witnessed throughout any of the Bucks’ earlier 5 postseason appearances — and Milwaukee is profitable video games due to it.
Whereas Antetokounmpo will get the entire glory — and sure the Finals MVP — if the Bucks do hoist the Larry O’Brien trophy this yr, it’ll be Middleton — not Giannis — that emerges as the important thing distinction.
