The Milwaukee Bucks will visit the Houston Rockets on Saturday, January 6. Jae Crowder will not be part of Milwaukee's rotation as the veteran forward continues to recover from left adductor surgery. Crowder has played in nine games for Milwaukee this season, averaging 8.1 points and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 53.2% from the field and 51.6% from 3-point range.
However, outside of Crowder, Milwaukee has a full-strength roster. As such, Khris Middleton will be part of the rotation, giving the Bucks their core trio. Middleton's sharpshooting is a key ingredient in Adrian Griffin's offensive game plan.
Opposing defenses have to respect the threat of Middleton's shot. Teams are unlikely to double-team off of Middleton, which often creates additional space for Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo to probe the defense on drives or when penetrating via screening actions on the perimeter.
However, we're yet to see the best version of Middleton. Yes, he's still making his shots on offense, and he's still drawing defensive attention, but he does appear to have lost a little bit of burst on his first step. This season, he's averaging 14.6 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists per game, shooting 49.7% from the field and 38.9% from 3-point range.
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Milwaukee needs Middleton healthy and playing at close to his best. His presence in the rotation elevates the Bucks' overall chances of success due to the attention he garners and the spacing he provides.
The Milwaukee Bucks are getting an elite season out of Giannis Antetokounmpo
Statistically speaking, Giannis Antetokounmpo has had one of his career's best seasons so far. He boasts a career-best 62% effective field goal percentage and has only produced a higher estimated plus-minus one time in his career.
Giannis' current estimated plus-minus, which factors how many points, better or worse, a team is with him on the floor while also factoring in a leaguewide scale that has been regulated to 0, is +7.6.
Outside of the advanced analytics, the veteran forward is thriving alongside Damian Lillard. The pick-and-roll between the duo has become one of the most feared weapons within the NBA, and their two-man game continues to improve as Milwaukee navigates the season.
The Bucks added Lillard during the summer as they looked to give their superstar forward another star player to help the franchise compete for a championship. The early returns on that move are looking encouraging. Giannis has more room to drive the lane, and he has an elite ball-handler next to him, which helps put him in positions to score and affect games on both sides of the court.
Giannis' presence ensures the Bucks are seen as a contending team. The fact he's playing at his current level only serves to strengthen the team's chances of high-level success.
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