Lock down first All-Star nod
In what stands as the biggest frontier he has yet to cross on an individual level, Middleton’s bid to make his first-ever All-Star game may be improved this time around compared to his chances last year.
While an argument could have been made purely on his statistical output at that point in last season, his down three-point shooting campaign notwithstanding, the up and down year the Bucks experienced all throughout last season squashed any legitimate chance of Middleton taking part in the NBA’s midseason classic in Los Angeles.
But this year, thanks to the arrival of Coach Bud, the potential success the Bucks may be well on their way to having throughout the regular season obviously marks the biggest difference in evaluating Middleton’s All-Star case.
Of course, that hinges on his level of production from last year conveying into this season and should he not miss any considerable length of time for whatever reason (knocks on many pieces of wood), it’s very likely that could be the case.
The level of competition and the departures the Bucks’ East counterparts experienced in the offseason only raises that possibility as our own Robby Cowles covered that extensively here and more when he assessed Middleton’s All-Star case over the summer.
For the Bucks to garner their first pair of All-Stars since Ray Allen and Glenn Robinson last did in the 2000-01 season, Middleton represents their best chance of potentially accompanying Antetokounmpo to Charlotte in mid-February.
Be sure to keep coming around here to Behind the Buck Pass for more individual season previews in the lead up to the start of the 2018-19 NBA season.