Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 116-92 Game 3 win over Boston Celtics
By William Wang
Middleton keeps cooking
Even as a national reporter addressed Khris Middleton by the wrong name earlier in the day, the Bucks forward continued to play at a level deserving of much greater recognition.
Middleton shot 10-of-17 from the field, leading the team in scoring 23 points and tallying eight rebounds and seven assists.
He consistently took advantage of mismatches, shooting right over smaller defenders as if they were not even present. In this game, he even shot over similarly sized defenders as if they were nonexistent as well.
He remained Milwaukee’s most consistent source of three-pointers, and took over the game in the first part of the fourth quarter to effectively close the door on any potential Celtics’ comeback.
Bucks fans sometimes get frustrated with Middleton’s tough shot attempts, but Middleton’s bread and butter is his tough shot-making. The Bucks will continue to ride his hot shooting hand and big-time performances in important playoff games.
His incredible ability to create an effective shot individually gives the Bucks an advantage over this Celtics team lacking comparatively in shot creation. Combined with his versatile defense contributing to the Bucks’ successes in being able to switch many matchups, Middleton is a vital cog to the Bucks’ success.
He deserves credit for playing up to the standards demanded of the second-best player alongside Giannis, and for doing so under the pressure-filled stage of the playoffs.