Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton are getting hot at the right time
The two stars on the Bucks next to Giannis Antetokounmpo are Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton. These two guys have a combined three All-Star appearances and have been key contributors for Milwaukee on both ends of the court all season long.
They are going to have to step up in big ways against the Suns for the Bucks to have a chance at winning a title, but the good news for Milwaukee is that they are heating up at the right time. Giannis being out the last two games has allowed both Holiday and Middleton to play their best basketball of the postseason and they have thrived in this position.
So far in the playoffs, Jrue Holiday is averaging 17.6 points, 5.6 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 1.5 steals and is shooting 42.3% from three-point range. He has struggled from deep, shooting just 29.9% from three-point range, but he is starting to play a lot better, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo being out.
In his last two games, Holiday is averaging 35% from three-point range and he has also looked much more efficient offensively. In the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hawks, Holiday averaged 22.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 10.0 assists and shot 46.4% from the floor. He even had 27 points, 9 rebounds and 9 assists in the Bucks’ Game 6 victory that sent them to the NBA Finals!
Khris Middleton has been playing some of the best basketball of his career over the last few weeks and has really stepped up the last two games with Antetokounmpo sidelined. In the Bucks last two games, Middleton has averaged 29.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 7.5 assists and has shot 47.6% from the floor.
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In the Bucks’ playoff series against the Nets, Khris Middleton also stepped up in a big way offensively, as he scored 38 points in a key Game 6 win for Milwaukee in that series. He has displayed his ability to go on big scoring “flurries” throughout these playoffs and this is something the Suns could have a tough time stopping should he be able to get to his spots offensively in the NBA Finals.
Both Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton will once again be tasked with being big factors in this series and even with Giannis possibly out there on the court, these two will still need to lead the offense. Antetokounmpo’s knee is not going to be fully healed if he plays and as a result, he will not be as dominant as he usually is.
Having Holiday and Middleton step up to be primary ball-handlers and run things offensively gives the Bucks the edge in this series not only because of their playmaking abilities, but because the Bucks will still have Giannis Antetokounmpo as a weapon that Phoenix will have to respect on the court.
Giannis being on the court allows Holiday and Middleton to play one-on-one against the Suns, which is a position they both thrive in offensively. They both torched the Hawks in Games 5 and 6 of the Eatsern Conference Finals because of their ability to attack one-on-one, which is why they will look to build off their success immediately in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.
