Tag: Khris Middleton

Report: Rockets discussed big-name roster moves in 2023 coaching interviews

James Harden and Khris Middleton are reportedly among potential 2023 free agency targets who were brought up during Houston’s recent coaching interviews. #Rockets

As one might expect in interviews for a team with approximately $60 million in salary cap space, it seems many prospective Houston Rockets coaches wanted to learn more about the plans general manager Rafael Stone may have for using it in the 2023 offseason.

Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka was the hire made by the Rockets to replace Stephen Silas. Former NBA head coaches Frank Vogel and James Borrego interviewed, as well.

Those types of big names can be selective when it comes to their next job, so understandably, they wanted to learn more during the search process about Houston’s situation and its roster plans.

Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports has more:

Houston’s long-rumored potential reunion with (James) Harden, the 76ers guard who holds a player option for 2023-24, in addition to the Rockets’ chances at landing other primary free agents and top-billing trade targets this offseason, were repeated themes throughout Houston’s conversations with coaching candidates, sources said. (Khris) Middleton (of the Milwaukee Bucks) has been another potential target discussed throughout the Rockets’ coaching search, sources said.

Udoka spent time with Harden as an assistant during the All-Star guard’s first season in Brooklyn. And Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown, whom rival executives are closely monitoring as he becomes extension eligible this summer, has been one of Udoka’s most public supporters after Boston suspended the coach following an improper relationship with a Celtics staffer.

The Rockets, sources said, also addressed the idea of including second-year guard Jalen Green, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, as part of a package for acquiring established star talent.

With regards to the Green passage, note the wording. “Addressed the idea” doesn’t specify whether Houston is intrigued by such a concept, or if it was merely floated by a coaching candidate. And if it was from one of many candidates outside of Udoka, it doesn’t matter anymore.

With regards to Udoka specifically, it’s worth noting that he spoke highly of Green’s talent at his introductory press conference.

The larger, more important takeaway is that the 2023 offseason could feature blockbuster moves (or at least attempts at them) by the Rockets, and that’s no secret around the NBA. And with Houston’s own first-round draft capital owed to Oklahoma City for multiple years starting with 2023-24, there’s no longer any incentive to lose.

Buckle up.

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Bucks will be missing All-Star Khris Middleton in matchup vs. Sixers

The Milwaukee Bucks will be missing All-Star Khris Middleton when they take on the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.

The Philadelphia 76ers have two big matchups to open the 2022-23 season, beginning with the Boston Celtics on Tuesday on the road. After that, they will return to Wells Fargo Center for the home opener with the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday.

The Bucks will be missing a huge piece of their team. All-Star Khris Middleton will be out for that matchup with the Sixers. He will miss the first few weeks of the regular season for Milwaukee due to rehab from a wrist surgery he had in the offseason.

Middleton averaged 20.1 points and 5.4 rebounds with 5.4 assists and he shot 37.3% from deep in the 2021-22 season. His absence will be one less offensive option the Sixers will have to worry about on Thursday.

While it helps Philadelphia’s chances at winning the game on Thursday, the contest will not serve as a real test of how far the Sixers still have to go since Milwaukee will be without Middleton.

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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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