Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from 124-117 win over Philadelphia 76ers
By Dalton Sell
Khris Middleton sets the tone for the Milwaukee Bucks in win over 76ers
The game-to-game struggles for Khris Middleton recently have been a trending topic of discussion for the Bucks lately. With the playoffs nearing, the forward needed a big performance against the 76ers to get himself going, and he delivered early on.
Middleton came out firing early as he scored 10 points in the first quarter by asserting himself offensively. That aggressive mindset carried over into the second quarter where he added 11 more points to his total to sit at 21 at the break. After a dynamic first half, Middleton went quiet in the second half as he added just three points, but it was clear that his efforts on the night helped set the tone for this team from the jump.
All in all, Middleton scored 24 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 4-of-7 from 3-point territory. Also dishing out five assists, the forward was conjuring up offense for himself and his teammates all night in the win. Although his efforts could not have been more lopsided between the first and final 24 minutes, it is a warm welcome to see the forward log a solid performance following his recent rough stretch.
The two-time All-Star has had his share of down moments against the premier contenders this season, and hopefully this outing can spark some confidence in him. If the Bucks will make a run at the NBA Finals this season, they will need more performances like this from Middleton against the top contenders. With that being said, he could be the ultimate X-factor for this team’s title aspirations.