Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 116-94 Loss to Philadelphia 76ers

Middleton does it all

With Giannis on the mend, the scoring load on Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe was bound to be increased. Neither player was very efficient, and Bledsoe’s 5-of-18 night in particular was a let down. While Middleton scored 23 points, he also did a number of other things that lifted the team.

Middleton took and made plenty of the tough shots for which he is known, but also acted as a facilitator throughout the evening. His 10 assists led the team by a wide margin. The same could be said of his rebounding. He gathered 14 boards on the night, more than all of the other starters combined. He was even found playing some sturdy post defense against Embiid.

All of that productivity was spread over a team-leading 40 minutes, so hopefully Middleton will be getting plenty of rest before Monday’s game against Phoenix.

While Malcom Brogdon will be back in action, the Bucks will once again be without the Greek Freak. This means some of their rotation players will need to step up. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some fringe players who took steps forward in Saturday’s contest.