Milwaukee Bucks: 3 trends to watch for in rematch versus Brooklyn Nets

Can Khris Middleton maintain his two-way performance for Milwaukee Bucks?

As Antetokounmpo enjoyed a performance befitting of his season, Khris Middleton stepped up for the big occasion in his own right.

Middleton finished with 26 points on 11-for-21 shooting (3-for-7 from three), 11 rebounds, six assists, two steals and more importantly, zero turnovers. The Bucks’ versatile forward did a little bit of everything, including make life a little more uncomfortable for Kevin Durant, while smoothly playing his game in the face of the Nets’ defensive pressure.

As a result, Sunday marked one of Middleton’s best two-way performances and if the Bucks are looking to the season series against the Nets, they’ll need a similar kind of performance Tuesday night.

Just as is the case with Antetokounmpo, Middleton has looked plenty comfortable on the offensive end in the previous two matchups against Brooklyn. The biggest swing factor in the two games, though, has been how the Bucks have attempted to slow down the Nets’ league’s best offense and one of the pre-eminent scorers around in Durant.

Durant still got his his with the 42 points he scored Sunday, but the Bucks, Middleton included, made him work harder to get that on 33 shots. For frame of reference, Durant scored 30 point on 10-of-21 shooting in the Nets’ win over the Bucks earlier in the year.

The Bucks are clearly willing to live with Durant does on the offensive side of the ball, but it will take a committee of defender to make it more difficult as he works his way to his favored spots on the floor. Middleton will play a big part in doing so once again tonight.