Milwaukee Bucks Player of the Week (Jan. 24th – Jan. 31st)

Milwaukee Bucks Player of the Week Rankings
1. ???
2. ???
3. Khris Middleton

Middleton played in all three games this week and averaged 35.7 minutes, 16.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. He led the team in assists and steals and was third in points. Additionally, he led the team in plus/minus for all players who played more than one game at +3.

Middleton had one of his worst shooting weeks of the season too. He shot 31.1 percent from the field (4.7 of 15 per game) and 27.3 percent from three (1 of 3.7 per game). The consistent high minute load and high usage rate, 24.2, that has been taxing Khris since the beginning of the season seems to have taken its toll this week.

What helped Middleton to retain the third spot in the Milwaukee Bucks player of the week rankings was his passing and defense. Khris led the team in assists this week and had the second best assist to turnover ratio, 1.8. The way he distributes the ball is making him a multidimensional offensive threat. Teams need to respect his jump shot (even when it is not falling), his ability to drive, and his ability to pass.

Defensively, Middleton caused havoc by forcing the other team into making mistakes. He forced at least one steal in every game and led the Bucks over the course of the week in the statistic. Even when he was not earning steals himself he plays the passing lanes really well and can get some deflections. Here is a great example of Khris playing great D while not getting the steal himself.

The final aspect of Middleton’s game that I want to touch on this week is free throw attempts. Middleton did a great job getting to the free throw line this week as exemplified by his six attempts per game. When he got there he was money, shooting 100 percent from the charity stripe this week. That was 18 free points for Middleton and the Bucks this week.

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