What Happens If Milwaukee Bucks Keep Winning?

Khris Middleton Is Part Of Their Long-Term Core

The loss of a fringe All-Star such as Jabari Parker is a tough pill for any team to swallow, especially one that has struggled to find consistent minutes from its big men.

But Milwaukee received something very few teams in that position receive — a returning star to fill his spot in the hierarchy.

Khris Middleton has stepped into the void left by Jabari Parker and performed well as he returns from a serious hamstring injury. While Middleton doesn’t play the same position as Parker, he can handle a scoring load similar to Parker’s and fill his role as the closing scorer for the team.

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Head coach Jason Kidd has eased Middleton back into the rotation, giving him the game off against Indiana and playing him limited minutes in every game thus far since his return last Wednesday.

But with each passing game Middleton has increased his point totals and his two-way impact as the team has relied on him more and more in important situations.

Middleton’s high point thus far was against the Brooklyn Nets, where he played late-game minutes in putting the Nets away.

The Bucks put the ball in his hands during the final minute as Brooklyn was intentionally fouling and Middleton responded with a perfect 5-for-5 outing at the line. On defense his length fit smoothly into the team’s scheme, and his quick hands picked off three steals.

Another week off will help Middleton’s body prepare for the stretch run, as the team will rely on him even more as the games get more difficult.

But what he has shown in returning from injury is that the elite player who lead the team in scoring last season is the one returning from injury and locked into this team for multiple years to come.