Milwaukee. Breaking off the screen, Landry Shamet took a pass from Cameron Payne and flew straight ahead. Realizing the danger, Giannis Antetokounmpo walked up and jumped in the air, forcing Shamet to pass the ball to Deandre Ayton under the basket. Situations like this led to some of Giannis’ most impressive defensive moments, but this time, as he tried to come back to Ayton, he committed a foul – his sixth of the game.
The Bucks would have had to play last-minute plus without their two-time MVP, and they were clinging to a five-point lead. It could have been a nervous finish, but the Bucks still had Chris Middleton. The veteran stepped up with some of his trademark clutch shots, draining roundhouse fades and back-to-back three-pointers to seal the win.
Middleton finished with a season-high 44 points, eight rebounds and five assists on the day as the Bucks defeated the Suns in a Finals rematch 132–122. Most importantly, as Giannis was handicapped for a foul, he scored 16 points on a 6-of-10 field goal in the fourth quarter.
“He’s a bucket,” Jrue Holiday said. “I knew this before I got here. I didn’t learn much, but that’s what he does. I really know this shit is amazing. his time as it seems that no one influences him, only he and the hoop. It’s really interesting to watch.”
Fittingly, Middleton’s best game of the season came against the Suns on a national TV show. Not only was it reminiscent of his 40-point game in Game 4 of the Finals, when he hit huge buckets over and over again, but it was also a reminder of his ability.
Middleton is arguably the most level-headed star in the league, and her bottom-of-the-basket style doesn’t make her stand out. He just travels around doing his thing and that, combined with Giannis’ brilliance, means that Middleton is often overlooked.
But when the game is on the line and the defense starts to pick up, few players in the league are capable of creating and scoring more difficult baskets than Middleton. He is 18th in the fourth quarter with 5.7 points per game despite playing Giannis, who has more points in the fourth quarter than anyone in the league other than DeMar DeRozan.
“Counters and snipers always want to shoot every time they’re on the field,” Middleton said. “Even when they are not hitting the ball, they still feel like they are open. But the work I’ve done over the years to make sure I get some of the punches I work every day in practice. When you see these punches just think about the hours you spent trying to perfect that move, perfect that kick.”
Giannis rules the roost, but the Bucks are not the Bucks without Middleton, and he made that clear again on Sunday.