The first three were empty: a simple flare on the right flank, with Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton catching a split ball. stomp a few times Hold the ball, wait for the simulated screen, then stab, step again.
There is enough space to pull And Middleton released his patented set-shot jumper. The Atlanta Hawks are leading four with 7:12 left in Game 3 of Sunday’s Eastern Conference Finals.
It happened more than a minute after Trae Young walked off the Hawks’ bench and back into the game. Restrained a grimace of a sore right ankle from a strange twist after he stepped on referee Sean Wright’s foot in the third quarter. After a morale explosion in Milwaukee two nights ago, is still in a jammed state By fulfilling his promise of improvement as the Falcon appears to bounce back.
The second 3 came almost a minute after the first ̵
1; and again outside any set, again on the right flank, with Young backing out for help. Middleton accidentally dropped it. Young replied with Rain 3 to get the Hawk back in the lead. But Middleton responded 13 seconds later with a footer 18. Young severely missed his response. smash the glass completelyMiddleton sniffed out the blood three more times, his third in less than two minutes and the fourth of the last quarter. for Milwaukee to lead with 5:13
“When I knew I had hit two in a row. I’m just telling myself to try and get a shot to get up. knowing there’s a good chance it’ll get in,” Middleton said.
That might be the understatement of the night.
0:28
Chris Middleton was feeling late, hitting a three-second trio in less than two minutes.
Game 3 ended. Middleton set Atlanta on 38 points as the Bucks withdrew 113-102, leading 2-1 in the series. And as the Hawks limped to the final buzzer – the fault of They were low on options without Young’s magic show—Middleton set it up by picking up a simple, cold bucket of ice.
Fourth quarter count: Middleton 20, Hawk 17
“What I saw today is incredible. It’s unbelievable,” said Bucks star Giannis Antetokumpo. “Take the team to the end. He flipped the ball like twice. and after he was imprisoned he is like ‘Pass me the ball’ and we pass him the ball. There was a moment when we knew when to set the screen for him. We know when he needs the ball. and that was the moment
“We’re like ‘Get out of the way give him the ball Took us home, Chris, and that’s what he did.”
Playoff games are usually won at half court. With competitive mid-level pull-ups and jumper splits, it’s a discretionary offense. ball movement Ground clearance and 3-point shots represent a systematic approach for almost every NBA team today. But when the playoff games met the drudgery of the fourth quarter, When every possession is a chore The bucket picker Middleton rose to the surface.
in the fourth quarter on Sunday Middleton scored 6 on 11 in competitive shooting. It’s tied for the most games in the fourth quarter this season, according to ESPN Stats and Information.
It’s not that the Bucks have committed some kind of high-minded offense. In his lab was only Middleton. which generates random in-game areas His hot lava right hand, the only playcall coach, is Mike. The desired budenholzer
“He’s a very bad player,” Budenholzer said. “There are a lot of great players in this league. And we know what Chris can do for us. And how can we defeat him? That is the most important thing.”
The Bucks’ best player, Antetokounmpo, and the two-time MVP was great in Game 3, scoring 33 points with 11 rebounds in 41 minutes, but here’s the Bucks’ formula: to divide and conquer between All-Stars. They don’t have the traditional alpha-bravo hierarchy that dictates who wants to shoot and who wants to lure. It’s a straightforward solution to a serious flaw to the Bucks, if not for the humility of their best players.
“I think our team is very unselfish. If anyone goes, the ball goes to them. Some games are me some games are jannis Some games found holes [Holiday]Middleton said “We all have a good sense of who gets the job. who has the best couple And who can create the best look?”
Even in the press conference after the game When journalists talk about the fourth quarter and that may be the time of Antetokounmpo to take over To do the things MVPs should do in the playoffs – Antetokounmpo shook his head in discord between questions.
“No, I trusted this man to death,” Antetokumpo said with Middleton beside him. “If he wants the ball, he can do it, as simple as that.”
Offensive variety was a luxury for the Bucks and the Hawks struggled to replicate with Young Limited following an ankle injury. The Bucks suffered during a critical time. Sometimes I hold my hopes on Antetokounmpo post-ups or mid-race Middleton Jumpers, but those options were better than what the Hawks left with Sanyang’s explosive first step.
And if Young’s ankles are still annoying along with the official arrival of the Middleton series. The falcon may have problems in the future.
“That’s what we want from him,” Antetokumpo said of Middleton. “We want him to be aggressive. We want him to control the game. We want him to make good decisions to play with him.”
Milwaukee’s season is easier: When Middleton scores 40% or better, the Bucks are 9-0, when he doesn’t, they are 1-4.
Bucks can be won in a number of ways, either based on group defense (see Game 2 of this series), 3-second chaos, or a method of scoring solids and pounds. The depth of choice, though, is what makes all the difference when all the parts are aligned.
The Hawks’ Game 4 adjustment should be an ice cube on Young’s right ankle, and hopefully he can call it what made him the darling of the Eastern Playoffs. It was there before the injury, with shimmies and struts showing and Young showing his mental strength in an impressive bounce game.
However, the Bucks were making strides, especially with Middleton hitting him. They have an Atlanta arsenal that might not be perfectly matched to the culture and approach that gives them access to it.
It’s an unusual bootleg template: Batman lets Robin drive the clutch, but for the Bucks, it works.
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