Apr 23, 2015; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard
Khris Middleton(22) during game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs against the Chicago Bulls at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Chicago won 113-106. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
10. Khris Middleton, Milwaukee Bucks
Numbers to know:
96.0 DRtg, post-all-star break, tied for 1st (Draymond Green) among players logging at least 30 MPG
40.7 – 3PT FG%
2.6 – STL%
Only one other player has a 40-plus 3PT FG% and 2.5-plus STL%, and he’s the reigning NBA MVP, Steph Curry. While this list could have started with a number of outstanding small forwards, (sorry Andre Iguodala, Trevor Ariza, and Tobias Harris) this ranking is a tribute to the third-year forward out of Texas A&M, plus a partial shout-out to well-constructed Bucks lineup. Have you seen their rotation?
Jason Kidd can trot out a starting 5 of MCW-Antetokounmpo-Middleton-Parker-Plumlee….they’re all at least 6-foot-6. If they each spread their arms, they could collectively cover the 3-point line! Middleton was an all-around force last season, with solid offense (56.3% TS%, 1.4 3PTM/GM) and air-tight defense (1.5 STL/GM, No. 3 in Defensive WS among SF).
Whoever Middleton was guarding was held to a FG% 4.3 points lower than their average (39.5% vs. 43.9%) — that’s tops among SFs. He’s a key cog for an up-and-coming Bucks squad, leading the team in Win Shares during the regular season and scoring during the playoffs.
Next: Rudy Gay