Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons they can survive without Khris Middleton

Giannis Antetokounmpo has proven he can carry the load offensively

When faced with adversity, that’s when superstars generally rise above it. And this is exactly when Giannis Antetokounmpo will be asked to lead a little more. This is exactly what was asked of him in the NBA Finals last season, which he delivered.

Giannis may need to tap back into that well, even if it is just in the first round of the playoffs. Last Finals, Giannis dominated on his way to averaging 35 points per game. I’m not saying that Giannis is going to have to average 35 points per game this series for the Bucks to win, but his usage rate may have to move up a bit.

If the Bucks are going to repeat, they’re going to need Giannis and Jrue to take the lead. Even more so now that it appears Middleton is going to be out of the foreseeable future.