Milwaukee Bucks Roundtable: Impressions through 10 games
By Adam McGee
5. With the news of Khris Middleton’s injury, just how significant do you expect his absence to be, and who will need to step up to replace him?
DL: His loss will certainly be felt. He’s the second best player on the team behind Antetokounmpo.
That said, the Bucks are still well-positioned to cope with his absence. Between Donte DiVincenzo, Kyle Korver, Pat Connaughton, and Sterling Brown (who’s really impressed recently) they’ll have plenty of options to mess around with in his position. Alternatively, if the team wants to try going bigger, they could move Antetokounmpo over to the three for a big chunk of minutes, and use Ersan Ilyasova and D.J. Wilson more at the power forward position.
If their schedule over the next three weeks was more difficult, this injury would be a much bigger deal. Fortunately, the Bucks will be matched up against several teams that they should be able to beat, even with Middleton out.
BR: I’m not terribly concerned about the Middleton injury since it appears to be merely a flesh wound. Of course, his absence will be felt, but the Bucks’ schedule softens up so much that there should really be no rush to get him back until he’s 100 percent healthy. If there was a time to miss a month of the season, it would be now. As for who needs to step up, I think the next few weeks will be key for Eric Bledsoe to show why the Bucks committed to him with an extension early last season. Bledsoe’s been getting into his groove recently on this last road stretch, and this softer schedule should allow him to carry that over moving forward. Giannis is going to continue to play at an MVP level, but if Bledsoe can bring that secondary scoring option on a consistent basis, the Bucks should be in good shape until Middleton returns.
LB: I think this is going to be a great test of the depth of the Milwaukee Bucks, regardless of upcoming competition. I’m curious to see how guys like Sterling Brown, Donte DiVincenzo, and D.J. Wilson respond to receiving not only more minutes, but opportunities alongside Giannis.
Ben is exactly right on Bledsoe. This is a huge opportunity for him to continue his great stretch of play recently and prove why he received that extension. Be on the lookout for a career high Giannis explosion during this stretch. I’m targeting this Saturday against the Pacers or November 27 against the Hawks as games where Giannis could put up a fat 50-point game.
JT: Even as the schedule lightens up for the Bucks significantly, losing Middleton is not insignificant by any means. It doesn’t compare to the wide-ranging impact of being without Giannis (knock on wood) or how positionally thin the Bucks would be if they were without Eric Bledsoe (again, knock on wood). But there aren’t players waiting in the wings on the Bucks’ roster that are able to replicate the mix of three-point shooting, shot creation, and versatile defending that Middleton brings to the Bucks at a high level.
Middleton certainly had some pretty rough games over the Bucks’ road trip and I certainly have been impressed with what we’ve seen of Sterling Brown in spurts, as well as the positive flashes Donte DiVincenzo has had to start the year. But there isn’t a true plug-and-play option to insert into Middleton’s place in the Bucks’ starting lineup and hopefully I’m proven wrong in that assessment with whoever Coach Bud decides to turn to starting Thursday night versus the Bulls.
AM: I am a little concerned that this could end up being a bigger loss than we’re all anticipating, even up against a soft schedule. To prevent it becoming a notable issue, Bledsoe will need to continue his recent good form, and Brown will need to thrive in the extended opportunities he’s earned and is now likely set to receive.