Replacing Khris Middleton: Exploring best options for Bucks in series vs. Celtics

Unassuming and reserved, Khris Middleton is more than just the Robin to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Batman. He’s elite in his own right, a versatile two-way star that was critical to Milwaukee’s successful championship run last season. 

But if Milwaukee wants to repeat as champions, it will have to do it without the multifaceted services of Middleton, who is sidelined indefinitely with a Grade 2 MCL sprain and is not expected to play in Milwaukee’s second-round series against the surging Boston Celtics. 

Middleton’s injury occurred during Game 2 of Milwaukee’s first-round series against the Chicago Bulls. Thanks to Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Bobby Portis and the improved play of Grayson Allen, the Bucks were able to beat the Bulls in five games. Boston, however, is a totally different team than the Bulls.

Making a statement in the first round, the Celtics swept the Brooklyn Nets on the strength of their elite defense and the MVP-like play of Jayson Tatum. The Celtics just present a tougher matchup for the Bucks than the Bulls. And without Middleton, life will be more difficult for Milwaukee against Boston.

The Bucks, though, are the defending champions, and they remain confident. 

“We’ve been talking about the depth of the roster, the quality of the roster a lot this season,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after Game 5.

“Other guys have gotten opportunities and played well, and our defense has tightened up and we’ve leaned hard on that these three games. But we’ve got depth, we’ve got a good group, we miss Khris — I don’t think anybody underestimates how important, how effective he is for us. But while we don’t have him, we have to be our best all up and down the roster.”

MORE: Watch the NBA playoffs on Sling TV (U.S. only)

Who will step up in Khris Middleton’s place offensively?

As Budenholzer alluded to, the Bucks are a deep team and have the personnel that could step up in Middleton’s absence. Holiday, Brook Lopez, Wesley Matthews, Allen, Portis and Pat Connaughton are all capable of coming up big for Milwaukee.

Portis has been in Milwaukee’s starting lineup since Middleton got injured and he’s played well. The 27-year-old forward averaged a double-double of 11.6 points and 11.4 rebounds against the Bulls in the first round. 

However, the key for the Bucks is whether their shooters can continue to make shots at a reliable clip.

Against the Bulls, the Bucks shot 47.2 percent from the field and 38.0 percent from 3 as a team. They got very impressive shooting performances from Matthews (48.0 percent FG, 47.6 percent 3PT) and Allen (60.0 percent FG, 58.3 percent 3PT). Holiday (34.5 percent), Lopez (33.3 percent), Portis (36.0 percent) and Connaughton (35.5 percent) also had solid shooting performances from deep.

Even if they’re hitting shots, the Bucks will need Allen in particular to continue to deliver in his increased role. 

In Games 3-5 against Chicago, Allen stepped in admirably for Middleton. The former Duke star averaged 20.7 points in those three games while shooting an amazing 67.6 percent from the field, 70.0 percent from 3 and a perfect 100 percent from the charity stripe.

In total, Allen scored a combined 62 points on 34 field-goal attempts, including 14-for-20 from 3.

🦌 @GraysonJAllen had the hot hand in Game 4, setting Playoff career-highs in points (27) and 3PM (6) to help push the @Bucks series lead to 3-1!

Allen: 27 PTS (10/12 FGM), 3 STL, 6/7 3PMpic.twitter.com/Y1SuOb7VGb

— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2022

“He’s kind of quiet, but confident,” Budenholzer said about Allen after Game 4. “I think this is a confident group, a group that sees a player that can help them and appreciates his competitiveness. He’s just quiet, no bulls—, and comes to play. I think our guys gravitate towards that type of mentality. It’s certainly been a good fit.”

It remains to be seen if Allen can shoot the ball like he did in the first round against a top defensive team like the Celtics. But even if he can’t, the Bucks can remain confident that they are capable of making up for Middleton’s absence with their depth. 

Who will step up in Khris Middleton’s place defensively?

Middleton is not a lockdown defender by any means but he is an excellent team defender and a key part of Milwaukee’s defensive schemes due to his length and overall versatility.

Without Middleton, Milwaukee will have its hands full trying to stop Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The Celtics may also try to take advantage of Portis’ increased role by putting him in pick-and-roll situations, which could cause Milwaukee’s defense to scramble and look out of sorts. 

But similar to the offensive end, Milwaukee will need a total team effort on the defensive end.

Holiday and Mathews are excellent defenders and are capable of slowing down either Tatum or Brown. Matthews is also coming off a strong defensive effort against DeMar DeRozan in the first round, and he will need to duplicate that performance throughout the second round. And while he’s not known as a defensive stopper, Connaughton is a solid defender who hustles, plays hard and could make a difference on that end of the court.

Middleton’s injury is a huge loss for the Bucks. But overall, they still have enough wing defenders to possibly slow down Boston. 

And while it may not be enough against a championship-contending Celtics team, it’s not nothing. Plus, let’s not forget that the Bucks also have one of the greats in Antetokounmpo.

Can’t Giannis Antetokounmpo just do more with Khris Middleton injured?

Without a doubt, Antetokounmpo could single-handedly take over games and lead his team to victory. Last year’s NBA Finals is evidence of Antetokounmpo’s greatness.

But again, Boston’s defense is elite. 

With smart, versatile and physical players like Grant Williams, Al Horford, Robert Williams, Daniel Theis and Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, the Celtics have the personnel to create a wall that can slow down and possibly stop Antetokounmpo’s signature rim-rattling drives and dunks. They neutralized Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in the first round, and Antetokounmpo is now their next challenge.

That’s not to say that Antetokounmpo won’t get his. He’s too good to shut down completely. But it could be tough for Antetokounmpo to score more than the 28.6 points he averaged in the first round against the Bulls. That’s why the Bucks will need their shooters to knock down shots against Boston.

Antetokounmpo has their trust and they have to reward it.

“I don’t affect the game by scoring… I affect the game by playing hard, trying to block a shot, playing defense, creating for my teammates… lead them you know, be vocal” @Giannis_An34 on his approach to the game and trusting his teammates. pic.twitter.com/ZjTxHXdmea

— NBA (@NBA) April 28, 2022

“I don’t affect the game by scoring, that’s not who I am,” Antetokounmpo said after Milwaukee’s Game 5 victory over Chicago. “I affect the game by playing hard, trying to block a shot, playing defense, creating for my teammates, trying to get in the paint, rebound the ball, lead them, [being] vocal and sometimes I got to score the ball.

“[But] in my head, I don’t think [that] I got to score the ball [because] Khris is down. It’s kind of the opposite. I’m like, damn, Khris is down now, we got to get 30, 40 points from somebody else. You got to move the ball. You got to trust Grayson, trust Pat, Brook, Bobby [and] Jrue’s gotta be Jrue. Anybody that checks in, you got to trust all of them. That comes with maturity. If you asked me five years ago, I’m like yeah, I’m gonna try and score 50. But it’s not five years ago anymore, my body ain’t what it used to be, I’m getting old.

“Even when Khris went down, from Game 3, 4, 5, you saw it was a team effort. As long as we have that same mindset as a team, that we have to do it all together, we’re going to be in a good place.”

Khris Middleton’s stats vs. Celtics

In three games against the Celtics this season, Middleton averaged 14.3 points, 6.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists. 

Throughout his career, Middleton has played well against the Celtics. In 2018, Middleton scored 32 points in a Game 7 loss to Boston in the first round of the playoffs. During that series, Middleton shot a stellar 62.7 percent from the field and 64.8 percent from 3. In 2019, Middleton shot 49.7 percent from 3 to help the Bucks beat the Celtics in the second round.

Historically, here’s how Middleton has played against the Celtics:

Middleton’s 2022 NBA Playoff stats

In the two games he played before getting injured this postseason, Middleton averaged:

• 14.5 points per game
• 7.0 assists per game
• 5.0 rebounds per game
• 1.5 steals per game
• 5.5 turnovers per game
• 36.0 minutes per game
• 41.7 percent from the field on 12.0 attempts per game
• 42.9 percent from 3 on 7.0 attempts per game
• 100 percent from the free-throw line on 1.5 attempts per game

Middleton’s 2021-2022 regular season stats

• 20.1 points per game
• 5.4 assists per game
• 5.4 rebounds per game
• 1.2 steals per game
• 2.9 turnovers per game
• 44.3 percent from the field on 15.5 attempts per game
• 37.3 percent from 3 on 6.6 attempts per game
• 89.0 percent from the free-throw line on 4.4 attempts per game

Celtics vs. Bucks series schedule

Celtics vs. Bucks will open at the TD Garden in Boston for Games 1 and 2. The times are still to be determined for this series.

Check back once the Eastern Conference Semifinals schedule is fully released.

(All times Eastern)

*If necessary