Bradley Beal and Khris Middleton, same fight. The situations are not the same between the two players, but the observation is similar: they lost their starting place. Doc Rivers made this decision last Sunday and, in the victory against Spurs, while he had regained his place in the major five after his return from injury, the winger was a substitute.
“He simply explained to me that it was undoubtedly, with my limited playing time and the rotations, more interesting for me to come off the bench to play more important minutes,” says the player about the conversation he had with his coach, hoping it will be temporary. “I know the player I am. For now, I need to get off the bench. But I have confidence in myself, in this team and in this role that I have to play at the moment. »
For his part, Doc Rivers did not want to make a big deal about this choice. “I think we’re overdoing it”estimates the coach. “The important thing is that he doesn't move every night as he would like. One night it's good, the other night it's not. His minutes fluctuate. Given his medical situation, it is not easy for him. »
“The opposing substitutes will have to deal with a Khris Middleton”
Against San Antonio, Khris Middleton performed averagely with 8 points on 2/7 shooting, 5 rebounds and 3 assists in 21 minutes. Having only been back for a month, after two ankle operations last summer, he still needs time to get back to his best level.
“I have to continue working to be the player I want to be and have been in the past”he confides. “There is no precise timetable”specifies Doc Rivers on the time this experience will last. “I'm trying to get this across. It's not ready yet and we want to wait until it is. »
For Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, it is not necessarily bad news to see the third member of the “Big Three” now being a replacement. Already because the association between the three did not really work until now. “It gives him a lot of freedom to be himself. Sometimes, perhaps, without meaning to, when all three of us are in the major five, we keep the ball too much”analyzes the Greek.
Then because it brings an element of weight to the Milwaukee bench.
“He gives us more depth on the bench”continues Giannis Antetokounmpo. “Our bench is already good but if we add a player like Khris, it makes it even stronger”adds Damian Lillard. “The opposing substitutes will have to manage a Khris Middleton. It makes us better and it gives more balance to the group. »
| Khris Middleton | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2012-13 | DET | 27 | 18 | 44.0 | 31.1 | 84.4 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 0.6 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 6.1 |
| 2013-14 | MIL | 82 | 30 | 44.0 | 41.4 | 86.1 | 0.7 | 3.0 | 3.8 | 2.1 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 0.2 | 12.1 |
| 2014-15 | MIL | 79 | 30 | 46.7 | 40.7 | 85.9 | 0.6 | 3.8 | 4.4 | 2.3 | 2.3 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.1 | 13.4 |
| 2015-16 | MIL | 79 | 36 | 44.4 | 39.6 | 88.8 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.8 | 4.2 | 2.6 | 1.7 | 2.3 | 0.2 | 18.2 |
| 2016-17 | MIL | 29 | 31 | 45.0 | 43.3 | 88.0 | 0.4 | 3.9 | 4.2 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 1.4 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 14.7 |
| 2017-18 | MIL | 82 | 36 | 46.6 | 35.9 | 88.4 | 0.5 | 4.7 | 5.2 | 4.0 | 3.3 | 1.5 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 20.1 |
| 2018-19 | MIL | 77 | 31 | 44.1 | 37.8 | 83.7 | 0.6 | 5.3 | 6.0 | 4.3 | 2.2 | 1.0 | 2.3 | 0.1 | 18.3 |
| 2019-20 | MIL | 62 | 30 | 49.7 | 41.5 | 91.6 | 0.7 | 5.5 | 6.2 | 4.3 | 2.3 | 0.9 | 2.2 | 0.1 | 20.9 |
| 2020-21 | MIL | 68 | 33 | 47.6 | 41.4 | 89.8 | 0.8 | 5.2 | 6.0 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 1.1 | 2.6 | 0.1 | 20.4 |
| 2021-22 | MIL | 66 | 32 | 44.3 | 37.3 | 89.0 | 0.6 | 4.8 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 2.4 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.3 | 20.1 |
| 2022-23 | MIL | 33 | 24 | 43.6 | 31.5 | 90.2 | 0.8 | 3.4 | 4.2 | 4.9 | 2.1 | 0.7 | 2.2 | 0.2 | 15.1 |
| 2023-24 | MIL | 55 | 27 | 49.3 | 38.1 | 83.3 | 0.7 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 5.3 | 2.6 | 0.9 | 2.3 | 0.3 | 15.1 |
| 2024-25 | MIL | 13 | 24 | 43.8 | 38.5 | 83.9 | 0.3 | 4.2 | 4.5 | 4.8 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 12.3 |
| Total | 751 | 31 | 46.0 | 38.8 | 87.9 | 0.6 | 4.2 | 4.8 | 4.0 | 2.5 | 1.2 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 16.8 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
