Milwaukee Bucks: Khris Middleton remains .01 percent away from elite history

Khris  Middleton stands close to joining elite company and will have the chance to make history with the Milwaukee Bucks once the 2019-20 NBA season resumes.

As the NBA is set to resume its 2019-20 season, Milwaukee Bucks‘ All-Star Khris Middleton has an opportunity to join a historic group of elite company in the decided eight games that remain in the regular season. It would be an incredible achievement to cap off what’s been an outstanding season so far for him and the Bucks.

Middleton is currently averaging a career-high 21.1 points, 6.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 0.9 steals in only 30.1 minutes per game on a Bucks team that is 53-12, the best record in the league. He’s served as a very valuable contributor on both ends of the floor for head coach Mike Budenholzer this season, but his shooting percentages are what stand out the most.

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As of now, Middleton is shooting 49.9 percent from the floor, 41.8 percent from 3-point range, and 90.8 percent from the free throw line. Significantly, Middleton currently stands .01 percent away from the exclusive 50-40-90 club.

If he can raise his field goal percentage to 50 while maintaining his 3-point percentage above 40 and his free throw percentage above 90 by the conclusion of the regular season, then Middleton would join an efficient group that only holds nine players throughout NBA history.

Among those players include Larry Bird, Reggie Miller, Mark Price, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, and most recently Malcolm Brogdon.

Coincidentally, Brogdon became the latest member of the 50-40-90 club when he was competing alongside Khris Middleton and the Bucks last season. Brogdon is now a member of the Indiana Pacers as the starting point guard.

If Middleton does indeed follow in Brogdon’s footsteps and become the second consecutive Buck to reach the honorable NBA milestone, he would also be placed into an even more impressive grouping.

Assuming he maintains an average of more than 20.0 points per game, Middleton would join Bird (twice), Nowitzki, Durant, and Curry as the only players in NBA history to average more than 20.0 points per game with 50-40-90 shooting percentages in a season. That’s an elite group of dominant players that Middleton could potentially join.

Middleton has always been understood as an underrated player throughout the association, largely due to the fact that most of the national attention goes to his teammate and league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee (for very understandable reasons). However, others around the NBA, especially those associated with the Bucks, have come to realize the extent of Khris Middleton’s true value.

Middleton may not have the most athletic appearance or jaw-dropping statistics, but his efficient and consistent shooting abilities are what make him an All-Star talent. His undervalued contributions would be greatly appreciated on any modern NBA team due to his identity as a deadeye shooter from all angles on the court and responsible wing defender (currently eighth in Defensive Rating).

In addition, Middleton is one of the limited players that are still defying analytics by thriving with mid-range jump shots. He’s excelled in the mid-range game during his career with his creativity inside the arc, smooth footwork, and pure shooting form.

24 percent of Middleton’s points have come from the mid-range area throughout the 2019-20 season. Although coach Budenholzer has prioritized shooting threes and scoring in the paint offensively ever since he arrived in Milwaukee, he has given Middleton more freedom to fire away from the mid-range spots on the floor.

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As a result, it’s working out just fine for both Middleton and the Bucks’ offensive system this season as they chase history. The mid-range game in Middleton’s bag has proved to be an essential factor in his consistent shooting percentages.

Likewise, the added value of having an efficient mid-range shooter like Middleton is having someone with the trustworthy capabilities of closing out games. In the clutch, teams may need players that can get you a bucket from anywhere on the court in order to grind out the win.

Similar to players such as Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard, Damian Lillard, and Kyrie Irving, Middleton has the capabilities of delivering in the clutch with his efficiency and consistency scoring the basketball from all areas of the court. It also helps to know that his teammates and coaching staff have faith in his abilities.

The playoffs will be a key test for Middleton’s shot-making skills in pursuit of bringing a championship to Milwaukee, so hopefully for the Bucks, he can continue to shoot as well as he was before the NBA indefinitely suspended its season. While it would be an incredible career accomplishment for Middleton to join the 50-40-90 club, winning a title is certainly the first objective on his mind.

Nevertheless, if he can raise his field goal percentage by just .01 percent and become an exclusive member of the 50-40-90 club by the end of the regular season, he would surely gain the more attention that he deserves and could give him more confidence heading into the postseason.

Khris Middleton will have an excellent opportunity to join elite company in NBA history while proving his undervalued stardom once the 2019-20 season resumes in Orlando.