5 reasons the Milwaukee Bucks are legitimate title contenders

2. Bucks have a second star

When you look at teams that have won a championship, one of the common denominators is the fact those ball clubs didn’t just have a superstar player, they also had a second guy who could help carry the load when it was needed.

For example, although Magic Johnson was the orchestrator of the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers in the1980s, there was also a silky-smooth forward by the name of James Worthy who could run the floor and finish around the rim with the best of them.

Yes, Michael Jordan was a dominant force on those Chicago Bulls teams that collected six titles in an eight-year span. However, as great of an individual talent as Jordan was, the Bulls don’t take the next step toward becoming champions without Scottie Pippen developing into an All-Star caliber player.

It just so happens that the Bucks have a second fiddle to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. The player in question is none other than Khris Middleton.

Coming off a 2017-18 campaign in which he averaged a career best 20.1 points per contest, Middleton is at it again this season. In 42 appearances, he has posted averages of 17.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists per contest. True, his overall shooting (43.5 percent) is down a bit from last season, but he is knocking down 38.1 percent of his looks from beyond the arc.

He has scored at least 20 points 15 times this season. He is ranked third on the team in assists and second in rebounds. Simply put, the guy is a jack of all trades.

While Antetokounmpo is certainly the engine that makes this team go, Middleton has proven he is a capable second scoring option, which will be invaluable as the season progresses.