CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 10: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts with ... [+]
We last saw the Milwaukee Bucks’ pairing of Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo healthy for a playoff run in 2021 when they won the NBA Finals. The duo has taken turns getting hurt in the last two postseasons, leading me to fantasize about the days when they shared the court at full strength.
The 2023 NBA playoffs have also made me miss their connection even more. The Denver Nuggets rode the dynamic duo of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray and their fantastic connection on the court to an NBA Finals victory over the Miami Heat. It brought back wishful thoughts of the Antetokounmpo-Middleton duo.
Middleton was traded to Milwaukee in 2013, the year Antetokounmpo was drafted by the organization. They’ve played together for the last 10 years, sharing the court for a whopping 14,743 minutes during the regular season and playoffs.
Their offense is at its best when Middleton and Antetokounmpo unlock each other. They’ve developed amazing chemistry, allowing them to run the pick-and-roll with great success. Their favored spots on the court also complement each other perfectly. Where Antetokounmpo likes to bulldoze his way to the paint and finish at point-blank range, Middleton uses finesse to get his shots from the mid-range and behind the arc. Between the two, they ensure the entire court is a danger zone for one of them to put the ball in the hoop.
Middleton is usually the set-up man for Antetokounmpo, throwing him 701 assists through the years. He’s able to probe the defense from multiple layers, draw extra attention and locate his MVP teammate. The inverse connection has happened 477 times.
The duo has also developed an unspoken chemistry. It’s not uncommon to see Middleton throw the ball over the top of the defense as Antetokounmpo slips to the hoop, rises over every defender and throws the ball down with authority.
They aren’t on the same subconscious level as Murray-Jokic, a historic duo, but their impact on the game is pretty dang high. They’ve started from the bottom, worked their way to the top, and are desperate to reach those heights again.
Of course, Middleton’s future is up in the air. He has a player option for $40.4 million for the 2023-24 season that he must decide on in the next couple of weeks. That’s likely more money he’ll get on a new deal, but he could sacrifice short-term gains for long-term security.
Milwaukee is absolutely interested in retaining his services. They don’t have a path to replace his playmaking or talent if he walks in free agency for nothing. They’re also hoping another offseason knee surgery will help him regain his ways and return to the playmaker they’ve come to know over the last decade.
With the Bucks suffering injuries to Antetokounmpo and Middleton in each of the last two postseason runs following their title, it’s far too easy to play the “what if” game. Unfortunately, that’s part of the NBA—some say availability is the best ability. The Denver Nuggets went through their own “what if” scenarios after watching a fully healthy roster cruise through the postseason and win an NBA championship following years of injuries derailing their playoff hopes.
That’s the cycle most NBA teams go through. The Bucks had a few years of heartbreak before breaking through in the playoffs. Now, they’re back to yearning for a championship and the Antetokounmpo-Middleton pairing that led them to one.
