The Milwaukee Bucks are parting ways with a vital piece of their championship run in an effort to bolster their chances of winning another.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that the Bucks have finalized a trade, sending Khris Middleton, AJ Johnson, and a pick swap to the Washington Wizards in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Patrick Baldwin Jr., and second-round draft compensation.

After undergoing surgeries on both of his ankles, Middleton, who was instrumental in the Bucks’ 2020-21 championship run, is putting up 12.6 points on 51.2% shooting through 23 games this season – his lowest scoring average since his sophomore campaign in 2013-14.

The Bucks have added Kuzma to play alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo after his four-year stint with the Wizards. This season, Kuzma is averaging 15.2 points on 42% shooting from the field while struggling from three at 28.1%.

Antetokounmpo strongly backed Milwaukee’s move to acquire Kuzma, who remains under contract through the 2026-27 season.

Middleton’s contract includes a $34 million player option for the 2025-26 season, giving him the choice to enter unrestricted free agency in 2026. As a result of the trade, the Bucks are now around $300,000 below the second apron.

Selected 23rd overall by Milwaukee in the 2024 NBA Draft, Johnson has played in just seven games this season, totaling 20 points. In the G League, he’s averaging 3.7 points and 4.8 assists over 10 games with the Wisconsin Herd.

Drafted in the first round by the Golden State Warriors in 2022, Baldwin Jr. has already been traded twice in his young career. He played 22 games for the Wizards this season, averaging 2.1 points in just 4.6 minutes.

The Bucks, standing at 26-22, are the Eastern Conference’s fifth seed, while the Wizards, at 8-41, have the league’s worst record.

Milwaukee Bucks SG and NBA champion Khris Middleton underwent ankle surgery on both legs to repair nagging issues he dealt with throughout the season.

“Shortly after the playoffs, Middleton underwent surgery on his left ankle to address an issue that plagued him throughout this past season. Per The Athletic, the procedure cleaned up some of the lingering damage that stemmed from the left ankle sprain Middleton suffered on Feb. 6 when he landed on Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant’s foot after attempting a jumper…”

Middleton expects to be ready for the season, and he did not wear a boot when attending NBA Summer League games in July.

In an underwhelming year for himself and the team, Middleton sat out 27 games last season due to his lower-body injuries. He finished averaging 15.1 points per game with his second-lowest minutes since he became a starter in the league.

The Bucks were supposed to compete for another NBA title with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and perineal all-star Damian Lillard in his first season in the midwest, but the Big 3 never found its stride. Milwaukee fired their coach, Adrian Griffin, after only two months with the team and brought on Doc Rivers. Rivers’ group ended the regular season strong, but they fell to the Indiana Pacers in six games during the first round of the NBA playoffs.

After an underwhelming year, the Bucks tried to retool in the offseason to keep up in the Eastern Conference arms race. They added Gary Trent Jr. from the Toronto Raptors to provide more wing support off the bench and drafted 18-year-old A.J. Johnson, who came overseas from Australia. Jae Crowder and Patrick Beverley are not expected to return to the squad after being rotational players in 2023-24.

Middleton was drafted with the 39th pick in 2012. He finished his 12th year in the NBA and is a three-time NBA all-star.

The Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff situation darkened even further in Game 2 of the first round Tuesday when guard Khris Middleton went down with an ankle injury. With star Giannis Antetokounmpo already sidelined, the team now has to deal with two uncertain injury statuses for starters entering Game 3 on Friday.

Though Middleton managed to play through his injury in Game 2, taping up his ankle and playing 36 minutes, he has reportedly not practiced since. Bucks coach Doc Rivers had very little to offer after practice Thursday.

“It’s another holding our breath situation,” Rivers said. “So, honestly, I don’t know.”

Rivers was slightly more optimistic about Antentokounmpo’s status. The star big man missed both games in the first round to recover from a calf strain. Still, it remains unclear when he will be available to play.

“He’s getting close,” Rivers said Thursday. But I don’t know what that even means. I’m being honest. I saw him moving around, and in my mind, I said he’s getting close. Does that mean a day or four days? I’m not sure.”

While Milwaukee piles up injuries to star players, the Indiana Pacers have taken full advantage, winning Game 2 in a 125-108 blowout to even the series. The sixth seed is led by emerging star Tyrese Haliburton, who has not performed brilliantly in the series thus far but has nevertheless facilitated well on offense.

Before the season, the Bucks were one of a handful of teams that could have reasonably won an NBA Championship following the addition of star point guard Damian Lillard. Now, Lillard may have to reassume his role on the Trail Blazers, that of a lone hero, to get this super team through the first round.

If the Pacers successfully upset the Bucks and move on to the Eastern Conference Semifinal, it will be the team’s first trip beyond the first round since 2014.

It seems that a brief era of tumult has ended for the Milwaukee Bucks. In a three-way trade with the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns finalized Wednesday, Milwaukee received star point guard Damian Lillard in exchange for Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen, a 2029 first-round pick and two first-round pick swaps.

At the end of the 2022-23 NBA season, the Bucks faced a series of challenges that seemed certain to end their attempt at a dynasty prematurely. They were a no-show as the first seed in the Eastern Conference, going quietly in five games against the eighth-seeded Miami Heat. Star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered an injury in that series and failed to deliver upon returning. Longtime Milwaukee forward Khris Middleton entered free agency early in the summer and seemed to be on his way out of the organization.

For a moment, the 2021 champs seemed to be fading away. Now, they’re championship favorites once more, as Lillard will join Antetokounmpo and Middleton, re-signed in July, to form one of the most formidable big threes in recent NBA history.

Though it has long been rumored that Lillard would be leaving Portland before the start of the 2023-24 season, he still took to Twitter Wednesday night to speak to Portland fans and express optimism for his future.

“The casuals won’t be addressed but the Trailblazers fans and city of Portland that I love truly will be … and they will be addressed truthfully,” Lillard said. “Stay tuned. Excited for my next chapter!”

In a joint statement, Bucks president Peter Feigin and general manager Jon Horst said that the team had no choice but to go for Lillard, a seven-time All-Star who scored 32.2 points per game last season.

“Today is an exciting day for Milwaukee,” Feigin and Horst said. “When you have the rare opportunity to pair one of the premier NBA players with a highly versatile roster that has lofty goals, you go for it. And we’re thrilled to welcome seven-time All-Star Damian Lillard to the Bucks.”

Despite disappointing in the playoffs last year, the Bucks still amassed a 58-24 record, the best in the league. Antetokoumpo remains a generational talent and will keep Middleton, his right-hand man, and gain Lillard, who has not had an All-Star teammate since 2015.

Small forward Khris Middleton has declined his $40 million option with the Milwaukee Bucks and will enter free agency going into the 2023-24 NBA season. Middleton went from role player to three-time All Star over the course of 10 seasons in Milwaukee and helped the team win the NBA Championship in 2021.

Despite being led by generational talent Giannis Antetokounmpo, it’s hard to argue that the Bucks would have had the same success in recent years without Middleton. Between a fight for a starting role early on and a number of injuries, he earned a spot in the team’s offensive scheme just as it was beginning to rise in prominence. Several of his postseason performances for Milwaukee have made the difference, particularly during the team’s Finals run two years ago.

At the Bucks’ championship parade, Middleton said that a title for the team was his goal from the very beginning, when he arrived on the team in 2013 after his rookie season with the Pistons.

“It’s just been a long time coming,” Middleton said in a short address to the Milwaukee crowd. “A long time. I’ve been here eight years, struggled, went through a lot of ups and downs. But we finally got the job done for sure.”

In a more in-depth look at the Bucks’ title run on the team’s YouTube page, Middleton talked about the moment that he celebrated with teammates in the locker room after a long fight to reach the top.

“Every single person in that locker room, even in that organization, these are the things you live and dream of. You make so many sacrifices to get to this point, and to finally get that, and see the pure joy in everyone’s face, how they’re really sitting there enjoying the moment … It’s a huge weight lifted off your shoulder.”

Before he arrived in Milwaukee in 2013, Middleton was selected by Detroit in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft and played a single season there. He played for three years at Texas A&M University, where his true potential was masked somewhat by an injury in his junior year. That potential has since been realized, and Middleton, now 31, will likely receive a number of offers in free agency.

The Milwaukee Bucks clinched the first seed in the NBA Playoffs with a win over the Chicago Bulls Wednesday. The team currently has a 57-22 record with two games remaining and has maintained a decisive lead over the rest of the Eastern Conference since late February.

Milwaukee’s conference-clinching victory against Chicago came in typically commanding fashion, a 105-92 win in which Giannis Antetokounmpo and sharpshooter Khris Middleton were hardly required. Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez dominated the floor with 27 and 26 points, respectively, while Jrue Holiday was a highly effective distributor with 15 assists and 20 points of his own.

“I like shooting the ball,” Portis said after making six of nine shots from beyond the arc. “Couple guys out, that’s a lot more shots out there so I can be a little bit more aggressive.”

Antetokounmpo was listed as probable to start despite a minor injury but was instead rested while Middleton left early with soreness from a nagging knee injury. Both of these players are expected to play a significant role for the team in the playoffs and straining them at the end of the regular season was not necessary.

“We got a lot of guys that can play,” Bucks guard Wesley Matthews said. “A lot of guys that will step up to the occasion. The NBA is kind of a blessing in disguise. It’s an 82-game season. It’s a grind. Unfortunately, this game has injuries and guys have been in and out of the lineup. I don’t know how many rotations, how many starting lineups we’ve had over the course of this season.”

While Middleton’s re-aggravated injury could be cause for concern as the postseason approaches, Antetokounmpo seems to be well on his way to taking the floor in the first round. Behind the Greek Freak, Milwaukee is expected to make a deep run in the playoffs on the way to potentially earning its second championship in three years.

Though upsets are always a possibility, the only two teams expected to challenge the Bucks in the Eastern Conference are the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers are similar to the Bucks in that they run through a single star in MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who has improved on his stellar form in previous seasons to propel Philadelphia to a 52-27 season with three games remaining. The Celtics also have its fair share of stars, namely Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but also feature a more balanced offensive attack. These two teams will likely have to face off before they ever reach the Bucks, a distinct advantage for the top seed if they manage to reach the conference finals.

The Bucks will have to rely heavily on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the team, as Khris Middleton will miss the next two weeks—at least—with an MCL sprain in his right knee.

He’ll be re-evaluated after two weeks, so there’s no guarantee he would make it back by the next round—if Milwaukee advances, which, of course, is not a given.

The injury was sustained in the Game 2 loss to the Bulls. And now Chicago will have an easier time defending Antetokounmpo in Middleton’s absence.

Pat Connaughton and Grayson Allen are both capable of replacing Middleton, as they’ve contributed all season. But guard Jevon Carter could receive more playing time as a result; he’s seen 20 total minutes these playoffs.

The Bucks trailed in the beginning minutes of the fourth quarter, their team on the verge of an effectively insurmountable 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals. Then, Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo took over the game, leading Milwaukee to an essential Game 4 victory by a final score of 109-103. With the win, Milwaukee and Phoenix have split the first four games at two apiece.

Middleton registered 40 points on the night, hitting a bevy of shots from nearly all areas of the court. “Everybody’s banged up. You just have to give it your all and leave it all on the court,” Middleton noted after the game. Antetokounmpo had 26 points, as well as a host of eye-popping defensive plays – including one that arguably sealed the victory for Milwaukee against Deandre Ayton with just over one minute to play in the game. “Going down the stretch, just do whatever it takes to win the game. Just put yourself in a position that can win the game,” Antetokounmpo said of his defensive heroics.

“They have been through the most together. They have endured the most. They have been criticized for everything they have done here, and they have also got the glory … But they know the pressures that comes with that, and they have exceeded all those expectations. For them to be able to perform on each stage, and especially a stage like this, is awesome to see, and I’m blessed to be a part of it,” Bucks guard Jrue Holiday said of the Middleton-Antetokounmpo tandem. The two have played in 12 playoff series together, including 62 games suiting up in the same uniform in the postseason.

“We played so many games together. But there was a specific time, I think it was in the playoffs against Toronto. We played at home. He wasn’t feeling great. But he played the game, and he gave everything for the team and for us. You know, that’s when I realized, ‘Yeah, that’s the guy I want to be on the line with and go through the journey with,” Antetokounmpo said of his relationship with Middleton.

The Bucks were almost unable to overcome the incredible offensive showing put on by Devin Booker, who was nearly automatic both from mid-range and beyond the arc. Foul trouble for Booker would be difficult for him to overcome late in the game, though, and the star arguably should have fouled out multiple times in the fourth quarter.

“Closing a game like this in the NBA Finals, obviously it means a lot. It felt good. But we cannot be satisfied,” Antetokounmpo mentioned about the critical game.

Game 5 will be in Phoenix on Saturday night.

The Phoenix Suns are now two wins away from their first NBA Finals victory in franchise history after defeating the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 2 by a final scoreline of 118-108.

Devin Booker netted 31 points, including seven three-point conversions. Star guard Chris Paul collected 23 points in the victory. A valiant effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo (42 points and 12 rebounds, including a 20-point third quarter) to carry his team was not enough to overcome the team-oriented play of Phoenix.

The win in Game 1 by Phoenix marks the first time the franchise took the first game in the finals, and the two victories match their total wins in the finals of 1976 and 1993.

Antetokounmpo was brief but direct in his analysis of the rest of the series. “We’ve got to go back home and protect home,” he said. Protecting home means better play from Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, who shot 7 for 21 and 5 for 16, respectively. If they do heat up, they could overcome a 2-0 hole for the second time this season – the first being their series victory over the Nets.

The Bucks will look to stop Phoenix’s potent offense, which quickly moves the ball around the perimeter and is loaded with a host of outside shooters. Giannis will need to stop carrying so much of the offensive burden to give Milwaukee a chance, as his 15 buckets were more than double any of his teammates.

Regardless of the loss, Antetokounmpo still shined. “I will say it’s incredible what he’s been able to do, and it hasn’t happened without time he’s put in to get himself ready, get his body better and continue to do the things that he does to be a two-time MVP,” said Bucks guard Pat Connaughton.

Milwaukee has relied on inside scoring to keep pace with Phoenix’s multilayered offense. They will need to add in makes from beyond the arc and diversify who is putting up points in order to overcome the Suns in Game 3.

Game 3 will be Sunday night in Milwaukee.

The Phoenix Suns took Game 1 at home behind a miraculous effort from Chris Paul, who scored 32 points and dished out nine assists. Giannis Antetkounmpo was not fully healthy and looked noticeably slower as he played through a leg injury that kept him out of the final few games of Milwaukee’s series against the Hawks. Game 2 tips off tonight in Phoenix. Let’s take a look at the spread, moneyline, total and more as we gear up for this pivotal matchup.

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• Bucks Odds: +5.5
• Suns Odds: -5.5
• Moneyline: +185 / -215
• Over / Under: 220.5
• Time: 9:05 p.m. EST
• TV Network: ABC

Considering they are coming off a 13-point victory, Monty Williams is unlikely to make many adjustments for Phoenix. The offense was brilliant in Game 1 as the Suns utilized the pick-and-roll. Deandre Ayton was phenomenal on both ends of the floor, finishing with 22 points and 19 rebounds. Devin Booker wasn’t that efficient on offense (1-of-8 on three-point shots), however, he did convert all 10 of his free throws and finished with 27 points. If the Suns get similar production out of their trio of stars in Game 2, they will be very difficult to stop.

While the Suns will likely head into Game 2 with the same gameplan they had in Game 1, the Milwaukee Bucks are going to make a ton of adjustments, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Coach Mike Budenholzer should ask his players to stop switching assignments even when screens are set. The Bucks tried the switching plan in Game 1 and were absolutely burned. Paul and Booker torched Brook Lopez in one-on-one situations all night long. That can’t happen again if Milwaukee wants to even the series. The Bucks also have to remain physical, but not foul nearly as much as they did in Game 1. Phoenix sank 25-of-26 attempts from the charity stripe on Tuesday. The Bucks will have to find a way to play strong perimeter defense without sending the Suns to the line.

Offensively, the Bucks need to get to the foul line more themselves. They only had 16 attempts from the charity stripe in Game 1. Milwaukee also needs to do a much better job finishing inside the paint. According to NBA Advanced Stats, the Bucks shot just 13-for-24 (54.2%) within five feet of the rim in Game 1. During the regular season, they averaged 19.3 field goal makes on 29.3 field goal attempts (66.1%).

Overall, it will be very interesting to see the adjustments that each team makes ahead of Game 2. Obviously, the health of Antetkounmpo is critical for Milwaukee, but even if he is not feeling 100 percent healthy, we all know he will be on the court, which is valuable in and of itself. And don’t forget about Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday; they were phenomenal in the former MVP’s absence against the Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Prediction: The Bucks cannot afford to fall two games down in this series. Budenholzer has one of the most brilliant minds in the NBA and I believe that he will find a way to make the necessary changes to not only cover the 5.5-point spread but also to steal Game 2 on the road.

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Chris Paul shined in his NBA Finals debut by making history in the Suns’ Game 1 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

Paul became the third player in NBA history 36 years old or older to score 30+ points. The point guard joins Tim Duncan and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Paul scored 32 points and dished out nine assists to lead the Phoenix to their first NBA Finals victory since 1993. He also became the first person to have 30 points and eight assists in a final since Michael Jordan in 1991.

The Bucks were unable to defend Paul’s pick-and-rolls all night long. The Suns exploited Bucks center, Brook Lopez, by forcing him to switch onto Paul. Lopez was unable to guard Paul as he continuously torched him from the mid-range. Paul also lobbed it to DeAndre Ayton for alley-oops after Ayton would set a screen. Phoenix also exploited Milwaukee’s double-teams on Devin Booker. Whenever Booker was double-teamed by the Bucks, he passed it to open teammates for easy three-point shots. Lopez was the main target on the pick-and-rolls and was eventually benched in the third quarter. He did not return.

This continuous exploitation of the Bucks’ defense allowed the Suns to run away with the lead in the third quarter, increasing the lead to 20 points. Milwaukee attempted a fourth-quarter comeback that brought them to within seven, but it wasn’t enough. Phoenix held on for a 118-105 Game 1 victory.

Milwaukee’s star Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a knee injury despite being listed as doubtful earlier in the day. Antetokounmpo scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds while fellow All-Star and teammate Khris Middleton scored 29 points. Antetokounmpo played noticeably slower and was not himself. The Bucks need him to be 100 percent healthy if they want any shot at winning the title. Milwaukee will also have to revise its plan on defense to counter Phoenix’s offense.

Although Paul led the Suns, Ayton and Booker played brilliantly as well. Ayton finished with 22 points and 19 rebounds while Booker added 27 points.

The Suns are now three wins away from winning their first NBA title. Game 2 will be played on Thursday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the prevailing force for the Bucks throughout the 2021 NBA Playoffs. Unfortunately, the star forward will most likely not be available for Game 1 of the finals against the Phoenix Suns.

Antetokounmpo was injured in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals and has yet to return to play. Coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters “he’s making good progress,” although what that means precisely is still not clear.

Giannis was able to do some work on the court for the first time Saturday, but he was still limited and did not fully practice with his teammates.

“When Giannis is out there, a lot of times we can just give him the ball and let him go to work and let him orchestrate a lot of things out there … Without him, we have to do it by committee,” said star Bucks player Khris Middleton.

The Bucks will need to turn to the play of Middleton, Brook Lopez, Jrue Holiday and others to fill the gap in scoring and rebounds left by Antetokounmpo’s untimely injury.

Game 1 of the finals is Tuesday, July 6. Milwaukee will travel to Phoenix for the tip-off.

UPDATE: Antetokounmpo has been upgraded to “questionable.”

The Milwaukee Bucks are now one win away from the NBA Finals after beating the Atlanta Hawks 123-112 on Thursday night. Both teams were without their main scorers in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Trae Young.

Bucks’ head coach Mike Budenholzer was able to adjust the team’s offensive style in the absence of Antetokounmpo. The shift in offensive tempo allowed center Brook Lopez to shine in Thursday’s win. Lopez scored 33 points, mainly through pick-and-rolls and dunks. Lopez utilized his size advantage to wreak havoc and score from inside the paint. It was a blast from the past for the big man. Vintage Lopez used to score over 20 points, usually from the low post during his days with the Brooklyn Nets.

It was not just Lopez who contributed in the win, but it was rather a team effort. All-Star Khris Middleton produced 26 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists. Jrue Holiday had 25 points and 13 assists. Holiday ran the pick-and-rolls that allowed Lopez to score.

The Bucks were also forcing the Hawks into turnovers. Atlanta committed 14 turnovers, and Milwaukee scored 16 points off of Atlanta’s mistakes. This game was a lesson for the young Hawks. They need to fix their interior defense if they want to stay alive. Milwaukee’s defense also did a great job limiting the Hawks’ ball movement.

The Hawks were led by Bogdan Bogdanovic, who had 28 points. Bogdanovic provided a glimmer of hope but it just wasn’t enough. However, if Bogdanovic could score more when Young hopefully returns for Game 6, it will take pressure off the All-Star point guard.

Milwaukee is one win away from making the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.

Game 6 will tip-off on Saturday in Atlanta. It’s do-or-die time for the Hawks.

On Tuesday, the Atlanta Hawks easily cruised to a Game 4 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Hawks completed a 110-88 rout of the Bucks to even the series.

Heading into Tuesday’s game, the Bucks were the favorites to win it since Hawks’ star Trae Young was ruled out just before game time due to a fluke injury. Unfortunately for Milwaukee, they were unprepared for the scoring of Lou Williams (21 points) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (20 points).

The Hawks started the game with a quick 15-5 run that set the tone for Milwaukee’s shooting woes. Williams finished the first half scoring 13 points as Atlanta held a 51-38 lead at halftime. The Hawks never trailed; it was a wire-to-wire victory.

Five minutes into the third quarter, Bucks’ star Giannis Antetokounmpo left the game with an injury. Antetokounmpo jumped to contest an alley-oop from John Collins to Clint Capela. The star landed awkwardly on his left leg, buckling his knee. He remained on the floor for several minutes before being helped to the locker room with a noticeable limp. The two-time MVP scored 14 points in 24 minutes before leaving.

“It just looked like their legs got tangled up,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said after the game. “They both landed awkwardly. That’s what I saw live. I haven’t seen anything else.”

Milwaukee called it a hyperextended left knee injury. Antetokounmpo is scheduled for an MRI on Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury.

With Antetokounmpo gone, the Hawks extended their 10-point lead behind a 15-0 run as the Bucks remained scoreless for three and a half minutes. Jrue Holiday’s 19 points led the Bucks, and Khris Middleton added 16 points. Both players shot 6 for 17 from the floor. No other Bucks player reached double digits.

Milwaukee shot an abysmal 39% from the field as a team and 21% from three-point range on 39 attempts. On top of that, Milwaukee committed 15 turnovers that led to 16 points for the Hawks. The Bucks were unable to convert Atlanta’s mistakes into buckets. The Bucks scored just four points off Atlanta’s 11 turnovers.

With the series tied 2-2, the Eastern Conference finals shift back to Milwaukee, with both teams missing their respective superstars. Young and Antetokounmpo should each be considered questionable for the upcoming critical Game 5 matchup.

Trae Young is no stranger to carrying the weight of offensive production on his back for his team. He did it again in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals, dropping 48 points and 11 assists en route to a 116-113 Hawks win.

Young discussed his team’s mindset given their underdog reputation during this playoff run.

“We didn’t get a high seed, so we’ve got to try to steal one on the road,” Young said. “Game 1 is definitely a game that you can really surprise that team. I think with the way we’ve been playing coming out of the gate, you can just tell we’re really focused on our attention to details when it comes to the other team.”

While the Bucks had fantastic production from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday, their offense was stifled by a lackluster performance from typical star Khris Middleton. Middleton sunk just 6 of his 23 shot attempts.

While both teams struggled to hit the deep ball, Young consistently made floaters and mid-range jumpers to propel his team to victory. Still, Milwaukee seemed to be in control of the game, leading 59-54 at halftime and 111-107 with just about two minutes remaining in the game. Yet, despite Holiday’s fantastic offensive night and Antetokounmpo’s presence in the paint, the Hawks battled back for the win.

John Collins connected on one of the few three-pointers made by the Hawks before Clint Capela placed in a layup after snagging an offensive rebound, putting Atlanta up 112-111. With a chance to tie the game in the final few seconds of play, Middleton continued his poor performance, missing an open three-point shot.

The Bucks look to bounce back in their second game and even the series at 1 apiece. Game 2 tips off in Milwaukee Friday night.

Giannis Antetokounmpo willed the Bucks to victory with an incredible performance consisting of 40 points and 13 rebounds. The Bucks will head to the Eastern Conference Finals after defeating the Nets 115-111 in overtime of Game 7 at the Barclays Center.

Antetokounmpo was a key player for the Bucks as their two other stars, Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton, struggled for the majority of regulation. However, in the final minutes when the game was on the line, all three players excelled.

Kevin Durant scored 48 points going 17 of 36 on field goals and playing all 53 minutes of the game, however his performance was not enough.

Middleton scored the game-winner, a 13-foot jumper with 40.7 seconds remaining. Middleton’s massive bucket put the Bucks ahead 113-111.

Following Middleton’s shot, the Nets had several chances but failed to convert on in their next two possessions. Both possessions resulted in a missed two-point attempt by Durant. Durant’s final miss left just 0.3 seconds left on the game clock.

In the remaining moments of the game, the Nets committed a foul on Brook Lopez and sent him to the free-throw line. Lopez proceeded to drain both shots, providing a four-point advantage for the Bucks.

Despite Durant’s two late-game misses, he is not to blame for the loss as he hit an incredible 24-foot jumper with just 1.6 seconds left in regulation to send the game to overtime.

Notable Performances:

• Bucks F Giannis Antetokounmpo: 40 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists
• Bucks G Jrue Holiday: 13 points, 8 assists, 7 rebounds
• Bucks G/F Khris Middleton: 23 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 5 steals
• Nets F Kevin Durant: 48 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists
• Nets G James Harden: 22 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists
• Nets F Blake Griffin: 17 points, 11 rebounds

The Milwaukee Bucks will make their second Eastern Conference Finals appearance in the last three seasons. The Bucks will face the Atlanta Hawks, who defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in Game 7 of their series.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton powered the Milwaukee Bucks to a blowout victory over the Brooklyn Nets to force Game 7.

On Thursday, Antetokounmpo scored 30 points and recorded 17 rebounds, while Middleton added 38 points and 10 rebounds as the Bucks easily cruised to a 104-89 win. Middleton was 11-for-16 from the field. He set a new playoff career-high and became the first player in NBA history to record 30 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, five steals and five threes in a playoff game.

“We don’t think about any type of pressure at all,” Middleton said. “It’s a basketball game. It’s as simple as that. I know it’s lose-or-go-home, but at the same time, it’s just basketball. You’ve got to have fun with it. Those moments are fun, you know, when the game’s on the line.”

Kevin Durant attempted to lead the Nets to another come-from-behind victory to close out the series but fell short. The Nets star had a team-high 32 points for Brooklyn. Durant was able to bring Brooklyn to within five on two separate occasions. Durant scored 10 straight points for Brooklyn during a third-quarter stretch to narrow a 14-point deficit to five. However, Middleton responded with six straight points to close out the quarter, including a buzzer-beating putback. And later in the fourth quarter, Durant sparked a Nets 10-0 run to get the game within five points again. Yet again, Middleton responded, drawing a foul on a three-point attempt. He made all three free throws, which started Milwaukee’s own 14-0 run. That put the game out of reach for good.

“He’s a shot maker,” Durant said of Middleton. “You see the shot go through the basket, you get more confidence. He made timely shots for them.”

Durant’s co-star, James Harden, played 40 minutes despite still dealing with a hamstring injury. Harden produced 16 points, five rebounds, seven assists and four steals. Blake Griffin added 12 points for the Nets. Those three players were the only members of the Nets to finish with double-digit points.

The Bucks shot just 7-of-33 from three-point range. Middleton converted 5-of-8 three-point attempts, while the rest of the squad went just 2-of-25. However, Milwaukee made up for their lack of long-range shot-making by outscoring the Nets 26-4 in fast-break points.

“It definitely hurt us,” Nets coach Steve Nash said of the fast-break points. “That’s where they’re really strong. I thought we had some problems getting back in transition.”

Shooting woes also hampered Brooklyn. They weren’t much better than the Bucks from beyond the arc, converting just 9-of-30 attempts. In 36 minutes, Jeff Green scored five points on 2-of-9 shooting. Joe Harris, one of the NBA’s premier three-point shooters, finished just 1-for-4 from deep. And although Durant made 15-of-30 field goals, he only made 2-of-8 shots from three-point range.

Turnovers were another big part of the game. Brooklyn had 16 turnovers, and the Bucks managed to turn those mistakes into 20 points. Although the Nets forced Milwaukee to commit 15 turnovers themselves, Brooklyn only scored eight points off of the Bucks’ turnovers. Milwaukee also outrebounded Brooklyn 36-30 and 15-9 on the offensive glass.

The series now heads back to Brooklyn, where Game 7 will take place. Through the first six games of the series, the home team has won every single time. That bodes well for Brooklyn, who are hoping to make their first Eastern Conference Finals appearance since 2003. If the Bucks win, they will make their second Eastern Conference Finals appearance in the last three years.

Game 7 will tip off at 8:30 p.m. EST. on Saturday night.

The Milwaukee Bucks have avenged last year’s playoff loss to the Miami Heat by sweeping them in the first round. On Saturday, the Bucks defeated the Heat 120-103 to clinch the series win and become the first team to advance to the second round of the playoffs.

“It’s a great moment for us, winning 4-0, and beating the team that beat us last year,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “But at the end of the day, we have a long way to go.”

The Bucks entered Saturday’s game with the motivation to sweep the Heat. Miami had to do everything it could to survive. At first, the Heat did just that and led at the end of the first half, 64-57. The momentum of the game changed in the third quarter. At the start of the second half, Milwaukee pulled off a 24-4 run to erase a nine-point deficit and build a double-digit lead.

All-Star Khris Middleton scored 12 of his 20 points in the third quarter alone. Middleton’s scoring helped fuel the Bucks’ run. Bryn Forbes added a spark in the third as the Bucks rebounded to take the lead and outscored Miami 34-21 in the third quarter. Antetokounmpo helped out on both sides of the floor with an all-around performance.

Antetokounmpo played selflessly, dishing out a career playoff-best 15 assists. “Being able to affect the game in multiple ways, and not just getting into the paint and dunking,” Antetokounmpo said. “Don’t get me wrong. If I could dunk every single play, I’d try to dunk every single play. But just being mature, having my head up and looking for guys when they’re open was big for us.” Antetokounmpo finished the game with 20 points, 15 assists and 12 rebounds.

The selfless play from Milwaukee allowed four people to score more than 20 points. Brook Lopez had a team-high 25 points, Forbes added 22, Antetokounmpo and Middleton both had 20 points. The team also played at a high level on the defensive end throughout the entire series. Antetokounmpo was asked to guard Heat All-Star Jimmy Butler. The Bucks forward was able to contain Butler, as the Heat star struggled offensively the entire series.  Butler only converted 19 of 64 field goal attempts in the four games. He he only sank 29% of his shots from the field.

“Giannis has unique defensive talent, and Butler is such a great talent, scorer, passer,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “It takes a lot of discipline to guard a guy like Jimmy Butler. For Giannis to have that discipline with the competitiveness makes him special.”

Milwaukee now advances to the second round and they will have almost a week of rest, as they wait for either the Boston Celtics or the Brooklyn Nets. For Miami, it was a disappointing premature end to their postseason. Miami had hoped that they would make another run to the NBA Finals. Instead, they are going home after only four games. “We can be better,” Butler said of the loss. “We’ll get better.” Miami will now focus on their offseason.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been dominant lately. The team is ranked as having a top offense in the league. The Bucks have five players averaging over 10 points per game. Among those five players, one stands out, and his name is Khris Middleton.

Middleton is currently averaging 20.7 points and 6.2 assists per game. While the numbers are good, the most impressive is his consistency.

During the first eight games of the season, Middleton was shooting 53.4% from the field, 53.5% from three-point range, and 95.2% from the free-throw line. Those three stats are amazing because only eight players in NBA history have finished a season at the 50/40/90 mark.

Moving on to the current stretch of the season, the All-Star forward is still keeping those numbers. As of right now, the All-Star has a 51.6% field goal, 45% from the three-point line, and 91.6% at the free-throw line. These numbers are making a case for him to be selected to another All-Star game.

When the Bucks faced the Denver Nuggets on Monday, the forward produced 29 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds to lead Milwaukee to a 125-112 victory. After that game, the All-Star received praise from Denver’s head coach Mike Malone. “He was a throw-in in an early trade in his career, and he’s turned himself into a perennial All-Star,” Malone said. “You know he can shoot the three, you know he can take smaller guys into the post, and post-up efficiently.” The coach added more about the 29-year-old forward, “Now you add the play-making ability and the willingness to be a play-maker, knowing he’s going to attract so much attention.”

For Middleton himself, he said that his improvements came from his desire to learn more. “All year long, even last year, I just keep trying to learn the game,” Middleton said. “Finding ways to make the best read, the best shot, and just play through my teammates.”

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer changed the team’s offense for the season. Budenholzer stated, “We want to be as good and as efficient as we can be and maybe be more versatile, be able to be score and again, be efficient and good in a lot of different ways.”

On Wednesday night, Milwaukee matched against the Phoenix Suns. Middleton’s impressive shooting streak came to a halt against the Suns. Middleton finished the game shooting 41% from the field, 33% from the free-throw line but still shot above 50% from beyond the arc. Although his shooting wasn’t great, his all-around performance continued to trend upwards. The forward had 18 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds in the team’s 125-124 loss.

The hot streak was bound to end, but that does not take away from Middelton’s consistent strong performances this season. The forward has shown that he deserves another All-Star selection.

Even after losing former NBA Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon to the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks do not appear to have taken a single step backward. Over the weekend, the Bucks re-signed both Khris Middleton and Brooke Lopez, and signed Brooke’s brother, Robin Lopez, as well.

“We have unfinished business here in Milwaukee. This season was a stepping-stone for me personally and for us as a group. I achieved so many firsts on and off the court: I earned my first All-Star appearance; we made the Eastern Conference finals; I became a father”, Middleton writes in an article for ESPN. “But I am not done. We are not done. The goal wasn’t to reach the Eastern Conference finals — we are on a mission to win a championship. I want to be a part of that mission, which is why I am staying here in Milwaukee for the next five years.”

Middleton, 27, averaged 18.3 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game for the Bucks this season as he made his first career NBA All-Star Game appearance. Middleton is a career 39% three-point shooter, and his emergence led to the Bucks agreeing to a five-year, $178 million extension to remain in Wisconsin.

The Bucks also have re-signed starting center, Brooke Lopez, to a four-year, $52 million extension. Through 2016, Lopez only attempted 21 three-pointers in his career. Since 2016, Lopez has shot 1,224 three-pointers – a complete transformation of his game.

https://twitter.com/jtylerconway/status/1145539215683403776

The Bucks then signed Lopez’s brother, Robin, as a free agent. Robin has played each of his last three seasons with the Chicago Bulls but saw his playing time decrease noticeably during the 2018-2019 NBA season. Robin has averaged 9.1 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game for his career while shooting 53.1% from the field.

While the loss of Brogdon will be felt by the Bucks sooner or later, Milwaukee has done a good job this offseason to keep the majority of their core roster together, poised for another deep playoff run.