Milwaukee Bucks: Doc Rivers calls players to the team
After the Milwaukee Bucks’ impressive win over the Phoenix Suns, Doc Rivers called Khris Middleton a luxury the team has.
The savvy veteran is returning from a 16-game absence due to an ankle sprain he suffered against the Suns. So this victory was supposed to be sweet revenge against Middleton.
The small forward has been a staple for the Bucks over the past decade. He was a key player on the 2021 championship team but was sidelined extensively due to an injury sustained in the game against the Suns. In an article for The Athletic, he described Middleton as follows:
What Chris lacks in athleticism, he makes up for with good basketball IQ. Two players from this century who resemble his playing style are Paul Pierce and Jimmy Butler. Butler, Middleton, and Pierce can shoot well from mid-range and create opportunities for their players whenever possible.
These three players have the ability to read the opposition defense from different areas of the pitch. A Middleton rematch, or in this case a rematch, would have been nice.
Chris scored 22 points and provided 7 assists for the Bucks, who defeated the Suns 140-129. He used his size to take advantage of disparities and his vision for the field to create opportunities for his teammates.
In the postgame press conference, Middleton said he paid close attention to his coach’s comments. He tries to be a coach on the field, trying to place players in certain positions to create better scoring and defensive opportunities.
Milwaukee’s next four games are against the Celtics, Nets, Lakers and Thunder. Middleton faces tough matchups against the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, the Lakers’ LeBron James and the Thunder’s Jaylen Williams.
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