Top 5 unchanged, but Jayson Tatum lurking on NBA Most Improved Player Ladder
By Phil Watson
khris middleton. 4. player. 89. . . Previous:
So how is it that a guy with two All-Star selections shows up as a contender for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award? Because Khris Middleton has improved in 2019-20 … a lot.
His scoring average is up nearly three points per game from last season despite playing more than a minute less per game, he’s hitting a career-high rate from 3-point range and is on pace to make the Milwaukee Bucks the first team in NBA history with two members of the very rare 50/40/90 club.
Over his last 10 games, Middleton has been cooking, averaging 24.6 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.7 minutes per game while shooting 51.7 percent overall and 43.8 percent on 6.4 3-point tries per night. He did, however, miss two free throws. That was in 36 attempts (94.4 percent), but still.
Middleton did not play Friday night in Milwaukee’s blowout of the Thunder, sitting out with neck soreness.
Middleton carried Milwaukee’s offense with 40 points in Monday’s win at Washington, while he picked up two double-doubles, including grabbing a season-high 13 rebounds in a Feb. 8 romp at the Orlando Magic. With 28 points and 11 boards in the Bucks’ next game, a win over the Sacramento Kings on Feb. 10, Middleton achieved consecutive double-doubles for just the second time in his career.
He went for three straight double-doubles from March 19-22 last season.
For the season, Middleton has started 51 games and started 48, averaging 21.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.0 steals in 29.9 minutes a night, while shooting .509/.438/.907.