Milwaukee Bucks: Analyzing Khris Middleton/Jayson Tatum matchup
By Adam McGee
Between veteran Khris Middleton and rookie Jayson Tatum, the battle on the wing could be pivotal between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics in their first round playoff series.
Although both teams have had their share of injuries throughout the year, the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics should have an exceptional level of familiarity having played each other four times during the regular season.
As a result, this is a series that should be filled with in-built battles and rivalries between players who’ve already had a chance to get to know each other in hard fought matchups this season.
One such matchup will be the contest between the Bucks’ Khris Middleton and the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum at the small forward position.
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Middleton is a veteran wing who has trended into form at the right time to cap off what could be classified as a career year. Beyond a stellar season that included averages of 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.0 assists, Middleton has been a pivotal figure for the Bucks since he was acquired from the Detroit Pistons back in 2013.
As something of a juxtaposition, his opponent in this series will be one of the year’s standout rookies, as Tatum was selected with the third overall pick of last year’s draft. Averaging 13.9 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game for the regular season, all eyes will now switch to how Tatum’s play holds up in the post-season.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a closer look at the key factors that could prove decisive in the matchup between Middleton and Tatum.