Khris Middleton Can Help The Bucks Three-Point Shooting Problem
It was tough to predict how well the Milwaukee Bucks would do heading into this season. They had made some additions in free agency but there were still a lot of questions about this team, specifically their young core. Could the trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jabari Parker, and Khris Middleton help lead Milwaukee to a playoff berth?
Sadly, the question has not been answered yet. Before the season even started it was announced that Middleton suffered a torn hamstring, right off the bone, and put him out for an expected period of around six months. The injury set Milwaukee back even before the season began and left a hole in their starting lineup.
To the Bucks credit, they have rebounded from that early season setback. Thanks to Antetokounmpo and Parker both taking giant leaps in terms of their growth and rookie Malcolm Brogdon’s flourishing early play, Milwaukee has set themselves up nicely in terms of this season and beyond. Without Middleton however, they suffer offensively. If the Bucks want to make a late playoff push they will have to hope that Middleton returns post All-Star break, which is looking more and more possible every day. The return of Middleton will help open up an offense that is in the lower tier in terms of three-point shooting.
While the Bucks can create problems offensively with their length and speed, they struggle when it comes to shooting the ball and in crunch time when the game slows down. That is a problem they must fix especially if they make the playoffs, when the game begins to grind down and teams will have to execute in the half court.
It’s no secret that the Bucks love to get into the open court and let their young guys use their athleticism to their advantage. Every Bucks game features a must see dunk in transition. Milwaukee currently averages 15.1 fast break points per game, good for 7th in the league. Yet the Bucks are only 17th in points scored per game (104.4) and that doesn’t even begin to describe their lack of three-point shooting. While Milwaukee is 9th in the league in terms of three-point percentage (36.7), they only shoot attempt 23.2 of them per game. That is 7th worst in the NBA and it is something that opponents use to their advantage. They pack the paint against the Bucks and force players like Antetokounmpo to take contested two’s.
The lack of three-point shooting also hurts in crunch time because the lack of spacing allows the defenses to focus on Antetokounmpo knowing that there is no kick out option. Brogdon, who has emerged as the replacement for Middleton while he has been out, is shooting 41.7% from three but the numbers are skewed here as well. He only attempts around 2 three-pointers per game. It’s clear that Jason Kidd’s team needs Middleton back as soon as possible.
The return of Middleton gives the Bucks a spot-up shooting option that they can consistently rely on. Middleton shot nearly 40% from three last year and his 4.6 three-point attempts per game led the whole team. He was especially good off the catch and shoot, knocking down 47.7% of them and giving the Bucks playmakers a reliable option on the three-point line that they can kick out to.
What makes the Bucks so good in transition is their ability to outlet the ball to their main playmakers and let them create in space. Here Greg Monroe dishes it off to Antetokounmpo and he’s off to the races. By the time he crosses the half court line, the Bucks already have a 3 on 2 advantage. Middleton is on his right and just drifts to the three-point line. With both Antetokounmpo and Parker rushing to the basket, they are able to keep both Minnesota defenders in the paint, opening up space on the wing. From then it’s a simple pass to Middleton on the right wing and it’s an easy catch and shoot basket in transition.
Middleton’s quick trigger also works in the half court as shown in the video below.
Even though it’s not exactly shown in the video, Antetokounmpo received a screen on the right wing and was able to simply drive into the paint. This forced Tyus Jones to come down and help near the basket. That left Jarred Bayless, another good three-pointer shooter for Milwaukee that year, open in the corner. With Bayless wide open, it forced Zach LaVine to make a tough choice. Either stick with Middleton and risk an open three by Bayless or rush towards the shooter and risk the ball being passed to his man. Either way the result would be an open three. LaVine chose the first option and it gave Middleton another easy catch and shoot attempt.
Middleton can also be an offensive threat when he takes on defenders one on one, giving Milwaukee another ball handling threat.
Here with the clock winding down in the first half, Jabari Parker quickly sets a screen for Middleton at the top of the three-point line and forces Minnesota to switch their star big man Karl Anthony-Towns on him. Knowing that Middleton could drive right past him, Anthony-Towns backs off. That slight it of space gives Middleton enough room to step into a three and he knocks it down. It was the right type of defense for KAT to play but with a shooter like Middleton, you can’t give him any space.
Middleton’s return will give Milwaukee their leading scorer back and arguably their most important offensive piece. He does so much off the ball for Milwaukee with his ability to space the floor and cut to the basket, but he can also show his versatility by showing that he can take defenders off the dribble.
With the Bucks sitting hovering around the 8th seed, Middleton could be the key missing piece that could take them to the next level. Especially the leaps that Antetokounmpo and Parker have made in becoming better all around players. The future is bright in Milwaukee and it may get a bit brighter real soon.
