Milwaukee Bucks: 5 goals for Khris Middleton in 2018-19 season

MILWAUKEE, WI - OCTOBER 3: Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks is introduced during a pre-season game against the Chicago Bulls on October 3, 2018 at Fiserv Forum, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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MILWAUKEE, WI – APRIL 22: (Photo by Jim Davis/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) /

Return to being high impact defender

Switching sides, Middleton’s defensive services garnered plenty of acclaim when he was initially viewed as a 3-and-D wing during his breakthrough in the 2014-15 season.

But Middleton’s game and production has obviously evolved since then and the calling card he garnered defensively hasn’t stood as prominently on a regular basis. That may be by design as Middleton is more viewed as a shrewd, versatile team defender than a lockdown type.

And that obviously coincides with the Bucks’ overall slide they endured on that end of the floor throughout that span and it goes without saying that Middleton’s individual play was not at all the root of the Bucks’ defensive problems under the previous coaching regime.

With that said, Middleton’s defensive performance in the playoffs showed just how incredibly effective the former Aggie can be when he raises his defending to its capabilities and under sound defensive principles.

Whether the presence of Budenholzer and his staff is enough to directly influence Middleton to tap back into that level of defending will be a big question to monitor throughout his campaign this year.

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