It would be an understatement to argue that Khris Middleton is capable of putting up big numbers for the Bucks. After all, he’s not an All-Star for nothing. Moreover, he seems to have a knack for producing just when the Bucks need him; his four 30-point games in the National Basketball Association Eastern Conference Semifinals and Finals all came in wins. The jury may be out on his consistency or lack thereof, but there can be no denying his willingness, even desire, to step up in the crunch. He can take them and make them.
Which, in a nutshell, is why no one batted an eyelash when Middleton erupted anew under pressure en route to victory yesterday. Game Four of the Finals was up in the air until he erupted in the last two minutes and change, scoring 10 straight points to allow the Bucks to claim the lead for good. To be sure, he’s not the only reason they won pulling away; outstanding defense, particularly by two-time Most Valuable Player awardee Giannis Antetokounmpo, sealed the outcome. Still, there can be no denying the impact of his career-high 40 on the set-to.
Certainly, Middleton’s show of force couldn’t have come at a better time. Had the Bucks failed to protect home court, they would have worsened their Finals slate to one and three. The development isn’t a death sentence in and of itself; if nothing else, the Cavaliers proved in 2016 that comebacks from a seemingly untenable position can be engineered. That said, the circumstances were different then, and for all the talents of Antetokounmpo, he’s not an all-time great like LeBron James — at least not yet.
Of course, the Bucks haven’t really done anything yet. They simply did what they were supposed to do: win Games Three and Four at the Fiserv Forum. Now, they need to do the same in hostile territory, a tall order given their double-digit failures in the first two matches of the series. They would do well to lean on the momentum they’ve built heading into Game Five even as they cross their fingers Middleton will match his aggressiveness with output. Will they be able to buck the odds and exceed themselves on the road? The answer will come in two days.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.
