Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from 124-113 loss to Toronto Raptors
By Dalton Sell
Third takeaway from loss to Toronto Raptors — Khris Middleton lays an egg for the Milwaukee Bucks
With Jrue Holiday sidelined, the Bucks have been forced to rely on their top-guys more during this recent stretch.
Giannis Antetokounmpo took charge and put together another fantastic showing by tallying 34 points on 11-of-20 shooting from the floor, including 2-of-4 from behind the arc. He also chipped in 10 rebounds, eight assists, five steals, and two blocks, but his stat-stuffing performance was not enough to elevate Milwaukee to victory.
While the two-time MVP did everything he could, the same could not be said for his counterpart in Khris Middleton. Middleton deserves some criticism for his efforts in the loss, as his performance against the Raptors was a headscratcher.
The two-time All-Star scored 11 points, shooting just 4-of-8 from the field and 1-of-3 from 3-point territory. He also logged five turnovers and four personal fouls in his 37 minutes, looking lost on the floor. Especially with Jrue Holiday out, Khris Middleton cannot shoot the ball just eight times.
Given the 50-40-90 shooting splits he is currently putting up while scoring over 20 points per game, Middleton is one of the most versatile scorers in the game today. The forward had his share of tough matchups against Toronto’s defense, but just eight shot attempts with zero assists is puzzling for a player of his stature. Middleton has proven what he is capable of multiple times this season, and hopefully, this outing was just a blip.
Next. Checking in on previously rumored Bucks trade targets. dark
The Bucks will take on the Raptors once again on Thursday night in the second matchup of their ongoing eight-game homestand. You can catch the high-anticipated rematch at 6:30 p.m. CST on TNT as well as Fox Sports Wisconsin.