Can Khris Middleton pick up where he left off?
After his lackluster performance in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, many were concerned when the Milwaukee Bucks handed Khris Middleton a 5-year, $185 million extension. The forward was coming off of his first All-Star season, but that kind of money for a player that many believed was not a legitimate second option seemed worrisome.
However, Middleton came out this season with something to prove, and played fantastically this year. In 55 games this season, the 28-year-old averaged a career-best 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 4.1 assists per game. The most notable part of Middleton’s game was exactly how prolific his offensive arsenal was to this point. To tally his 21.1 points, the forward shot 49.9 percent from the field, 41.8 percent from 3-point territory, and 90.8 percent from the charity stripe.
Middleton’s 49.9 field goal percentage left him just short of the illustrious 50-40-90 club, which made it even far more impressive with his 21.1 points per game. If Middleton can bump that percentage up beyond 50 percent, he would join a club currently occupied by Larry Bird, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and Dirk Nowitzki with such numbers.
The Milwaukee Bucks will need Khris Middleton to continue his career season when the NBA resumes play, but with so much time off, it could be easier said than done. The same goes for every other player in the league, but what separates Middleton is his prolific numbers, and how he was on his way to cementing his name in NBA history forever.
If Middleton comes out struggling, it would be detrimental to the team’s success. After such a dominant regular-season up until the stoppage of play, it will be riveting to see if Middleton can pick up right where he left off with his stellar play.