Tag: Khris Middleton

Bucks season preview: Quietly the best team in the league?

Milwaukee’s path to a championship in 2021 featured a lot of injury luck going their way, causing many to doubt the level of competition they had. While there may be truth to those arguments, Milwaukee was also perhaps a Khris Middleton injury away …

Milwaukee’s path to a championship in 2021 featured a lot of injury luck going their way, causing many to doubt the level of competition they had. While there may be truth to those arguments, Milwaukee was also perhaps a Khris Middleton injury away from going to the Conference Finals and perhaps even the Finals this most recent season. Injury luck goes both ways, but the Bucks are without a doubt legitimate contenders to win it all again as long as they’re healthy.

Below, check out our preview for the 2022-23 Bucks campaign.

Celtics injury update: Bucks’ Khris Middleton out for Games 3, 4 but return to East semis not ruled out

Milwaukee coach Mike Budenholzer hinted a series return might not be out of the question — but is it gamesmanship?

The Boston Celtics have had the luxury of not having to worry about All-Star Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton in their Eastern Conference semifinals series with the defending champs with the Bucks sharpshooter out rehabbing a sprained MCL.

But after Game 4, Milwaukee head coach Mike Budenholzer hinted that Middleton might still be able to return to action later in the series after the team’s practice on Thursday following an update on the forward’s progress being circulated in a press release that shared Middleton’s “steady progress on his left knee injury rehabilitation.”

Budenholzer ruled out the All-Star for Games3 and 4 on Milwaukee’s home court, but was terse but provocative in his response when asked about whether Middleton might return beyond that, saying only “we’ll see,” according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Jim Owczarski.

Is there a chance for the latter two contests (if needed) of the series to get much more difficult for the Celtics? Or is this just the East semis version of Ben Simmons being just a game or two away from suiting up?

Only time will tell for certain.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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‘Losing Middleton is a huge loss against a team like Boston’: JJ Redick on Celtics – Bucks

No matter how you slice it, it’s a tough loss.

The Boston Celtics are closely monitoring the tight hamstring of star forward Jaylen Brown ahead of their 2022 NBA Eastern Conference Semifinals series with the Milwaukee Bucks kicking off on Sunday afternoon, but at least for now find themselves in a better position healthwise than the reigning NBA champs. The Bucks recently got word they will be without their second-leading scorer — All-Star forward Khris Middleton — for the entirety of the series with a grade two MCL sprain.

This is of course a massive hit to Milwaukee’s depth in what could prove to be the toughest series either team plays in this postseason.

Can the Bucks beat Boston without their Celtics killer on the court? In a recent podcast, former NBAer and co-host of the “Old Man and the 3” pod JJ Redick breaks down how he sees the series going in the absence of Middleton on the parquet.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear what the Duke product has to say about Boston’s odds of making the Eastern Conference Finals this season in light of Milwaukee’s misfortune.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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The Bucks will be stopped by Boston with Khris Middleton reportedly out for the series

Playing Boston without your second leading scorer isn’t ideal.

The defending NBA champion Milwaukee Bucks will likely have to play their entire second-round series against the Boston Celtics without All-Star Khris Middleton, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reports. Middleton has a Grade 2 MCL sprain that could keep him out through the Eastern Conference Finals if Milwaukee were to advance.

I don’t say this with ease about a championship roster, especially one with two-time MVP and reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, but I think the injury dooms their chances to get past Boston, let alone repeat.

Sportsbooks are already preparing for the Celtics to advance, as you’re only getting -190 odds for them to win the series on Tipico Sportsbook. I’d fade that bet and take the value on how many games they get it done. Out of respect for the Bucks and Antetokounmpo’s ability to will them to a couple wins, I like the Celtics in six at +400 odds.

Middleton is such a vital part of the Bucks’ success. He’s the team’s second leading scorer at 20 points per game, one of their few players who can create offense for himself, and he’s also one of their best and lengthiest perimeter defenders. The way the Celtics are playing right now, Milwaukee was going to have its hands full even if he was playing. Without him, I don’t think they have a shot to win four games.

Boston was the best defensive team in the regular season and that translated in the first round where they largely held Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in check during a first-round sweep of the Nets. With Middleton out, they can focus more of that defensive attention on Antetokounmpo and force others to beat them. They also have Robert Williams back from injury, their best interior defender and someone who will be key in slowing Antetokounmpo.

Milwaukee’s supporting cast is better than Brooklyn’s, another reason I think the Bucks can still take a couple games. Jrue Holiday can create for himself and others, and they have plenty of shooters on the perimeter. But Boston scores the ball well too — they have the second best offensive rating in these playoffs and were tied for the best net rating in the regular season. So unless Antetokounmpo finds a way to average 40 points, I love Boston’s chances to make it back to the conference finals for the second time in three years.

The Celtics are 4.5-point favorites for Game 1 on Sunday.

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All-Star Khris Middleton to miss entire Milwaukee Bucks – Boston Celtics series

All-Star Khris Middleton will reportedly miss the entire second-round series between the Bucks and Celtics.

Bucks forward Khris Middleton will not be available for the entire second-round series between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics. According to Athletic’s Shams Charania, Middleton’s Grade 2 MCL sprain could see the former All-Star sidelined into the Eastern Conference Finals should the Bucks advance. This confirms previous reporting that Middleton may be out for several weeks.

He suffered the initial injury during a Game 2 loss against the Chicago Bulls on April 20, and was seen wearing a brace on the sidelines for the remainder of the series. In the regular season this year, Middleton scored 20.1 points per night along with 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists. Throw in a 37.3% clip, and Celtics fans know all too well how integral a role the former Texas A&M Aggie plays for this Bucks team.

With Brook Lopez back in the fold and Bobby Portis in reserve, Milwaukee still has plenty of size and length to pair with former MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. That said, this injury puts pressure on players like Wesley Matthews and Grayson Allen to step up on the wing.

The Celtics and Bucks tip off round two of the playoffs on Sunday, May 1. The teams split their regular-season games 2 – 2 this year.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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4 stats that show the Bucks used the Bulls as a warm-up in their title defense

Giannis and friends looked like a title team in every way vs. Chicago.

It’s not a surprise the Bucks beat the Bulls.

With a 116-100 on Wednesday night, the defending champs — led by reigning Finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo — have made the second round of the playoffs for the fourth straight season. In their first-ever playoff experience under Billy Donovan, the Bulls are likely still years away.

But to dispatch Chicago, four games to one in a best-of-seven series — with three of those wins decided by at least 16 points — is something else. It’s almost as if the Bucks used the Bulls for a warmup.

Milwaukee’s first-round beatdown is even more impressive with a closer look. Let’s run through a few key stats that illustrate why Antetokounmpo and the Bucks look primed for a repeat.

Woj: Bucks star Khris Middleton injury may keep him out all of series with Boston Celtics

Middleton’s MCL sprain could have a serious effect on the East semifinals series vs. Boston.

The reigning champs might have to face the Boston Celtics without their second-best player for the entirety of their second-round matchup against the Celtics with new reporting from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggesting that Milwaukee Bucks sharpshooter Khris Middleton may not be back from a sprained MCL until after the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

This could of course mean Middleton’s knee injury may well end his season if the Bucks cannot find a way to replace him and Wojnarowski’s reporting pans out for the worst regarding the Milwaukee forward’s return timetable. Per Woj, Middleton “will get that re-evaluation at the … two-week point next week, but I’m told that injury is expected to keep him out longer than that.”

The ESPN NBA insider noted that the Bucks “may have to get through another series, a conference semifinals before they have the opportunity to get Khris Middleton back,” and with the way Boston has been playing, that potential outcome just got significantly less likely.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Injuries are causing significant movement at the top of NBA championship futures

Have NBA injuries changed the way you bet?

Remember when the Phoenix Suns were the odds-on favorite (+200) to win the NBA title? Or when you couldn’t find any team out East with odds better than the Milwaukee Bucks (+450) to win it all? A few days ago, it surely felt as if a 2021 Finals rematch was a safe bet.

Things changed quickly.

You’d likely do a double-take today if you saw how those prior championship odds have shifted. And all it took was one loss from both teams to cause such drastic shifts in their futures. It just wasn’t the loss on the scoreboard, but each team’s loss of an All-Star player? Absolutely.

Here’s a look at how the lines moved from Tuesday to Friday:

Odds on 4/19                                                                  Odds on 4/22

Suns +200 Suns +500
Bucks +450 Bucks +750
Warriors +500 Warriors +280
Celtics +700 Celtics +500
Heat +900 Heat +600
Nets +1300 Nets +2000
76ers +1500 76ers +900
Grizzlies +2000 Grizzlies +1000
Mavericks +5000 Mavericks +2000
Bulls +20000 Bulls +8000

ICYMI: Both Devin Booker and Khris Middleton were injured in their team’s Game 2 losses earlier this week. Booker left with a hamstring and Middleton with a knee — both are out for at least two weeks.

The dip in Phoenix’s (+500) and Milwaukee’s (+750) championship odds directly results from the injuries. Now, everyone is asking whether or not either of 2021’s Finals participants have enough talent remaining to make it past the first round. And while it may be tough to overcome such significant losses, both Phoenix and Milwaukee can look at the Dallas Mavericks for inspiration.

The Mavs lost Luka Doncic to a calf strain on the final day of the regular season and saw their Western Conference championship odds fall (+1300), as a result. But two impressive wins later and a Luka return on the horizon, those same odds have increased (+900).

What will these odds look like over the next few days if the Bucks and Suns steal a Game 3 road win? Futures are ever-changing, so it might be a good idea to buy the dip now if you think either team will get up off the canvas.

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Nets vs. Bucks: Lineups, injury reports and broadcast info

Here’s all you need to know ahead of Thursday’s Nets vs. Bucks game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Detroit Pistons visit the Barclays Center to take on Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night, and if you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

The Nets are coming off a 130-123 win over the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday.

The Nets trailed by as many as 12 points in the first half of their win over the Pistons. Kevin Durant scored 22 of his 41 points in the second half to lead Brooklyn to a victory.

As for the Bucks, they are coming off a 118-116 win over the Philadelphia 76ers that featured Giannis Antetokounmpo recording a game-saving block. He finished with 40 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of Thursday’s Nets vs. Bucks game.