Khris Middleton

Bucks Notes: Rivers, Middleton, Minutes Restriction, Celtics Matchup

December 7th, 2024 at 8:42pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coach Doc Rivers didn’t see any signs of panic as the Bucks stumbled out of the gate this season, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. After winning on opening night, Milwaukee dropped six straight games, raising questions about whether the team should still be considered a contender following two consecutive first-round playoff exits. Meeting with reporters before Friday’s game at Boston, Rivers said those concerns never affected his team.

“Nobody in Milwaukee is saying that, nobody on our team is saying that,” he said. “We feel like we’re going to be right there when we need to be.”

The slow start led to some speculation that a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade might be necessary, considering the team’s second apron status and the overall age of its roster. The Bucks eventually pulled out of their tailspin, winning seven straight before back-to-back losses that evened their record at 11-11. Rivers admitted that he expected to be in a better position, but he believes the team is heading in the right direction.

“Tough start, but I think everybody here’s patient,” he said. “… I think we’re going to be one of the teams, but we’re not yet. We’re not. So we have work to do. It’s funny, when we go on the road we hear that and it’s laughable for us. But our record says what we are and we’re not where we want to be, so we get it.”

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Making his season debut after missing 21 games following offseason surgery on both ankles, Khris Middleton took a hard bump early in Friday’s contest, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Less than two minutes after checking into the game, Middleton was knocked to the court by Sam Hauser while sinking a three-point shot. “I love it. Get it out the way,” Middleton said. “That’s something that’s been happening to me in play groups, one-on-one sessions, workouts, feeling that contact. Of course the contact was a little bit more during the game, but I needed that. I needed to feel like what it feels like to get hit, fall down on the floor and not really worry about anything. So that felt great. Felt even better to knock down the shot too and the free throw. I was cool with it.”
Rivers admitted that Middleton exceeded his minutes restriction in his first game back, Owczarski adds. The team didn’t reveal what Middleton’s limit is, but he wound up playing 23 minutes and was in the closing lineup as the game went down to the wire.
Friday’s contest was already the last of three meetings between Boston and Milwaukee during the regular season. Eric Nehm of The Athletic contends that the Bucks have become a better matchup for the Celtics because of the emergence of A.J. Green and Andre Jackson, adding that Taurean Prince‘s illness prevented Milwaukee from having a full complement of wing defenders that it might use against Boston in a playoff series.

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Rivers, Lillard, Giannis

December 6th, 2024 at 2:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The long wait is about to end for Bucks swingman Khris Middleton, who is expected to take the court tonight in Boston for the first time since last spring’s playoffs, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Speaking to reporters at Friday afternoon’s shootaround, Middleton said this was the most difficult rehab process of his career because he had to undergo surgery on both ankles. Balance became an issue because Middleton couldn’t risk favoring one ankle over the other, and he said it was challenging mentally to be out of action for so long.

“Just not trying to get into a dark tunnel,” he said about his approach to rehab. “Having as many surgeries as I have, coming back from this one, I wanted to make sure I was all the way ready to come back, be as fresh as I can mentally to be in a good spot because this is a long, grueling season. I’m going to go through a lot of things during the season, going to get hit, banged up, whatever, to have that mindset that I can still fight through and to keep going.”

Bontemps notes that tonight will mark just the 43rd time that Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard will play together since Lillard was acquired in a trade in September 2023 — and only the ninth time with Doc Rivers as their head coach. The trio has been extremely effective in its limited window, Bontemps adds, with the Bucks outscoring opponents by 22.6 points per 100 possessions with the three of them on the court at the same time under Rivers and by 17.5 points per 100 possessions overall.

Middleton is likely to be on a minutes restriction as he eases his way back into action, but he’s not sure what it will be. He added that his focus is seeing how his body reacts to live game action.

“That’s one of the things I’m nervous about, just to see how I feel when I get out there,” he said. “See if I’m going to be ready to throw up in a minute, but once I’m out there, I’ll be fine. If I’m going to shoot the ball over the rim, over the glass, whatever, just with the nerves and everything, adrenaline going. So I’m excited about it, see how it performs, see how it goes and just go from there.”

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Rivers has been saying for weeks that Middleton is close to returning, and he acknowledged that it was difficult for Middleton not to rush the final stages of his rehab process, per The Associated Press. “Anybody who wants to play, and Khris is one of those (guys), they’re frustrated,” Rivers said. “That’s mentally challenging. You see your team playing and although we’re playing well right now, I imagine when we were really struggling and he wasn’t playing that had to be really hard for him. You want to help your team, and he knows he can.”
Lillard discussed the importance of psychological preparation as the Bucks got ready to host Atlanta Wednesday night following Tuesday’s game at Detroit, relays Lori Nickel of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I take it serious – mentally,” Lillard said. “You got to come in with no excuses and no crutches. You can’t come in thinking, ‘Oh, we had a back-to-back. We played last night, we’re tired.’ You do that, you start thinking like that, you’re beat.”
Antetokounmpo talks to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports about his desire to capture another MVP award. Antetokounmpo won in both 2019 and 2020 and would join an elite group of players by picking up a third trophy. “I do want to be part of that conversation,” he said. “It lets me know I was able to help my team, carry my team, solidified [us as a team]. I’m not gonna lie, it definitely means something to me.”

Khris Middleton To Make Season Debut On Friday

December 5th, 2024 at 9:48am CST by Dana Gauruder

The Bucks have been rolling along lately, winning nine of their last 11 despite Wednesday’s loss to Atlanta. They’ll now add longtime starter Khris Middleton to the mix.

Middleton will make his season debut at Boston on Friday, ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets. Middleton was medically cleared to return to action on Nov. 20 after undergoing surgery on both ankles during the offseason. At that time, Middleton didn’t feel quite ready to suit up and has since continued the rehab process, working on improving his conditioning and increasing his comfort level on his surgically repaired ankles.

Middleton, a three-time All-Star, has dealt with a myriad of health issues in recent seasons. He only appeared in 33 games two seasons ago and 55 regular season contests last season.

In those last two seasons, Middleton has averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 0.8 steals per game — all far cries from his numbers during his final All-Star season, 2021/22. He registered averages of 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.2 steals per night that season, with .443/.373/.890 shooting splits.

Middleton holds a $34MM player option on his contract for next season and it’s hard to see him passing that up unless he shows he can recapture that All-Star form. The Bucks probably don’t need him to perform at that level but he’ll boost their depth at the wing position and will take some of the scoring burden off Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

In his absence, Taurean Prince has started at small forward and provided a steady three-point threat. Prince is averaging 9.0 points on 6.3 shot attempts per game, knocking down 55.6% of his long-range attempts.

It’ll be interesting to see what Doc Rivers does in terms of his lineup. Middleton came off the bench 14 times two seasons ago but has generally been a fixture in the starting five since he was acquired from Detroit in 2013.

Bucks Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Prince, Middleton, NBA Cup

December 3rd, 2024 at 6:01pm CST by Luke Adams

At the start of training camp, Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard expressed confidence that their chemistry would be much improved in 2024/25 following a full season and offseason together.

While Milwaukee got off to a shaky start this fall, losing eight of its first 10 games, the club has since won eight of nine, including six in a row, and Antetokounmpo believes the on-court rhythm he and Lillard have developed has been a key factor, as Eric Nehm of The Athletic writes.

“Now we’re going into our second year playing together, and our chemistry has been incredible so far,” Antetokounmpo said after Saturday’s victory over Washington. “He hits me in the pocket. If he doesn’t hit me in the pocket, that means he has an open shot. He can get downhill, make another play. I think we trust one another. We definitely trust way more one another’s decision-making and we give one another space to operate.”

Lillard’s scoring average (25.9 PPG), and shooting percentages (.441 FG%, .361 3PT%) are all up so far this season over the marks he posted in 2023/24. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, is playing some of the best basketball of his career, with a league-leading and career-high 32.9 PPG on 60.9% shooting in his first 17 games.

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Offseason addition Taurean Prince has been “incredible” so far this season for the Bucks, according to Antetokounmpo, who praised the veteran wing’s ability to space the floor around him and Lillard. As Nehm writes for The Athletic, Prince’s 8.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game don’t jump off the page, but he’s making an NBA-best 54.2% of his three-point attempts and is one of just two Bucks who have started all 19 of the team’s games so far this season. The 30-year-old signed a one-year, minimum-salary contract with Milwaukee over the summer.
Khris Middleton has been ruled out for Tuesday’s game in Detroit and it remains to be seen when he’ll make his season debut following offseason surgeries on both ankles. Still, he insisted over the weekend that he continues to move in the right direction as he works toward his return, per Jim Owczarski of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “I feel good. I feel like I’m progressing. It’s just slower. Slower than I want it to be,” Middleton said. “I want to be out there, my teammates want me to be out there. I don’t think there’s anybody that wants to play more than me. You know that. I think some people know that in our organization. I just gotta be smart and not go out there until I’m fully ready.”
The Bucks’ game against Detroit on Tuesday will go a long way toward determining whether or not Milwaukee advances to the knockout round of the NBA Cup for a second straight year. A win would secure a quarterfinal berth for the Bucks as the winner of East Group B, while a loss by six points or less (or in overtime) would keep the club in the running for the East’s wild card spot (Twitter link).

Central Notes: Pistons, Cunningham, Middleton, Donovan

November 30th, 2024 at 6:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Coming off years of losing, the Pistons view this year’s NBA Cup as a chance to experience some high-stakes basketball, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press. The Pistons have been one of the surprises of the tournament, winning their first three games by a combined 28 points. They can clinch a spot in the knockout round by defeating Milwaukee on Tuesday, and coach J.B. Bickerstaff said his team is taking the games very seriously.

“Our guys wanted to win. They came out with a sense of urgency,” he said after Friday’s NBA Cup victory over Indiana. “We talked about it, but this gives our guys an opportunity to play games of significance and see how they respond. I thought our guys did a great job of responding in a positive way, playing with that sense of urgency that you need to play with to win games of significance.”

It’s a huge turnaround from last season, when Detroit went 0-4 in Cup play amid a franchise-record losing streak. That memory was fresh for Cade Cunningham, who recalled being embarrassed by the Pacers a year ago.

“We need every game we can get anyways, but I remember last year, Indiana ran it up on us in the in-season tournament and how serious they took it,” he said. “They were going for points, they just beat us up. This game was really personal for us, but in general, we all wanna go to Vegas and we all want to experience winning something. We’re going for it.”

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Cunningham had an obvious impact on the team as he returned Friday after missing three games with a left sacroiliac joint sprain, according to Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. Patterson observes that in addition to his production, Cunningham instills confidence in his teammates that enables them to play at a higher level. “Cade is the type of person and player that he’s with you no matter the good and the bad,” Bickerstaff said. “He believes in you because he watches how hard everybody works and he knows what everybody is capable of. When you have a leader that believes in you, it gives you more comfort and more confidence.”
Bucks swingman Khris Middleton will miss another game tonight against Washington, but coach Doc Rivers said he’s getting closer to making his season debut, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. Middleton had a scheduled day off for Friday’s practice, but he went through a productive five-on-five session earlier in the week. “He’s progressing,” Rivers told reporters. “I’m going to keep saying it. You can ask as many questions as you want, it’s not going to make him come back faster.”
The Bulls have many issues to address, but they don’t need to make a coaching change, contends Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. Billy Donovan has shown an ability to adapt to his personnel, Cowley notes, going from 28th in the league in pace last year to near the top this season.

Central Notes: Ivey, Thompson, Middleton, Haliburton

November 26th, 2024 at 8:13pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Jaden Ivey is eligible for a rookie scale extension after this season and the Pistons guard has bounced back from a subpar sophomore campaign. With Cade Cunningham sidelined by a hip injury, Ivey scored the game-winner against Toronto on Monday. He finished with 25 points and eight assists and is now averaging 18.4 points, 4.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game on the season.

“(Ivey) played a complete basketball game (Monday),” Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff said, per Hunter Patterson of The Athletic. “He’s good enough to do it again and again. He’s just got to trust it like he does and keep putting the confidence in the work that he’s put in.

“… For me, it wasn’t just that last shot. He was phenomenal to start the game and for all of his minutes, setting the tone and attacking when he needed to be aggressive. But I thought he did an unbelievable job of playing the complete floor (Monday), making sure his teammates were involved, getting us organized. Just from a point guard perspective, that was a huge step for JI.”

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Pistons second-year forward Ausar Thompson made his season debut on Monday. He was medically cleared to play this month after his rookie campaign was cut short by blood clotting issues. He had five points, four assists and three rebounds. “I was able to play free,” Thompson said. “I’ve done a lot of conditioning over the past eight months. It was just, first game in eight months. 260-something days. Just don’t know what to expect. And first time playing with a new coach. My guys had my back, they showed me what to do out there. Just played basketball.”
Khris Middleton, who has yet to make his season debut for the Bucks, participated in full 5-on-5 scrimmages on Monday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports (video link). Middleton, who is recovering from an ankle injury, been cleared medically to play and the club is hopeful he’ll return to action shortly after Thanksgiving.
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton made nine 3-pointers on Monday and has now knocked down 18-of-39 attempts in his last three games, breaking out of a perimeter slump. Even with the recent surge, he’s only made 32.9% of his long-range attempts this season. “I think my individual performance and how I view that, I mean, if we’re winning, I really don’t care. I’ve been frustrated with myself because I feel like the games we’ve been losing, if I was myself, then we would be winning. I care more about us winning than what my numbers are looking like necessarily. But obviously, it feels good to see the ball go in,” he told Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star.

Khris Middleton Medically Cleared To Return For Bucks

November 20th, 2024 at 6:23pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Three-time Bucks All-Star forward Khris Middleton has been given the medical green light to return to action for Milwaukee, sources inform Shams Charania of ESPN.

The 6’7″ Texas A&M product has missed all of the 5-9 Bucks’ games this season while recuperating from offseason surgeries to both ankles. Charania reports that the 33-year-old continues to work his way towards a return, but does not yet feel physically ready to make his season debut.

Middleton’s extended recovery was not expected to last this long into Milwaukee’s season. Taurean Prince, who signed a minimum-salary contract as a free agent in July, has started for Middleton this year, though he is not a willing scorer at Middleton’s level. Across his 14 healthy games for his new team, Prince is averaging 8.9 points on .484/.527/1.000 shooting splits, along with 5.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game.

“He’s looked good,” said Bucks head coach Doc Rivers of Middleton. “He’s working his butt off. Listen, I think he’s close. And he’s just going to keep working. This is the best I’ve seen him, I will say that.”

According to Charania, Milwaukee wants Middleton to take part in 5-on-5 scrimmages with teammates prior to his on-court comeback in a game setting. The Bucks are reportedly waiting on Middleton to let them know when he feels ready.

Middleton was a critical component to the team’s 2021 NBA championship run. His perimeter defense and jump shooting fit perfectly alongside All-NBA Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and then-All-Defensive teammates Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez. In addition to his NBA title, Middleton subsequently won an Olympic gold medal alongside Holiday that same summer.

Middleton has not quite been the same since the 2021/22 season. He has missed an average of 44 games across the past two seasons due to various ailments. When he has played, he has lacked the same lateral quickness that made him such a tenacious defender. His minutes have also been more limited in the interest of maintaining his health.

In his last two seasons, Middleton has averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 0.8 steals per game — all far cries from his numbers during his final All-Star season, 2021/22. He logged averages of 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.2 steals per night that season, with .443/.373/.890 shooting splits.

Milwaukee next hosts the 6-9 Bulls on Wednesday.

Bucks Notes: Middleton, Rollins, Lillard, Giannis

November 13th, 2024 at 7:23pm CST by Arthur Hill

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Khris Middleton is still “progressing,” but there’s no indication of when he might make his season debut, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic (Twitter link). Speaking to reporters before Wednesday’s game, Rivers said there haven’t been any setbacks that are extending Middleton’s absence.

“He’s just progressing and going along,” Rivers said. “I mean, I don’t know what the return date was or that there was one set, so what we’re doing is getting him healthy so that when he’s ready to play, he’s ready to play.”

The 33-year-old swingman, who is recovering from offseason surgery on both ankles, was able to take part in a three-on-three scrimmage last week and the team is hoping to advance him to five-on-five. He would be a welcome addition to the lineup after Milwaukee’s 3-8 start, but Rivers said any decision on his availability will be made by team doctors.

“As I’ve jokingly said a million times, Doc’s a nickname. And I don’t really know,” he added. “I just check in with the medical team and they tell me the same stuff. He’s getting there. He’s getting closer. And basically, I relay the same stuff to you. I don’t get involved as I’ve told you many times. I just don’t think it’s a great place for a coach to be. … I check in with Khris and guys that are injured about how they’re feeling, more human stuff, because Khris wants to play. And he’s frustrated that he’s not … And that’s how it works for a coach, it’s more about the mental stuff, the mental health, than anything else.”

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Ryan Rollins, who signed a two-way contract over the summer, made his first career start Tuesday night, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. Rollins posted 12 points and five steals, but had to leave the game after reinjuring his bruised left shoulder. “That’s like the story of my life,” he said. “It’s always something. I mean, I can’t complain about it. I’m going to just keep working, keep getting better. It’s not really a serious injury, so I’ll be back next game anyways. It is always something for me, but I’ll always work through it regardless.”
Damian Lillard will miss his second straight game tonight after being placed in concussion protocol, Owczarski adds in a separate story. Rivers said his star guard passed “most” of the return-to-play tests on Tuesday night, but woke up this morning with a headache.
Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic believes Giannis Antetokounmpo should stay in Milwaukee, but he notes that his situation will provide the first real test of how superstars navigate the new apron rules.

Bucks Notes: Trade Options, Giannis, Middleton, Trent

November 8th, 2024 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Bucks have started making calls around the league to get help for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, according to Brian Windhorst and Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Milwaukee defeated Utah Thursday night to improve to 2-6 and slow down its early-season tailspin, but there’s still a sense that the team needs a roster shakeup to become competitive.

Despite increasing speculation that Antetokounmpo might be made available, a potential deal involving the 29-year-old superstar is currently unrealistic for both him and the team, sources tell Windhorst. He confirms that several teams have contacted the Bucks in recent months to let them know that they’re willing to make an offer if Giannis ever becomes available. However, Windhorst adds that those are “incoming calls, not outgoing,” and that’s unlikely to change soon.

Milwaukee faces difficulty in making any deal because it’s operating under second apron restrictions, which prevent the team from aggregating salaries or taking back more salary than it sends out in a trade. Bontemps points out that the hard caps imposed at both the first and second aprons are making in-season trades more challenging around the league.

“The second apron coming in now really hamstrings them,” a rival general manager told Windhorst. “They’re doing due diligence trying to find options, but of course they know it.”

The Bucks would have a long road toward rebuilding if they ever part with Antetokounmpo because they’ve given up most of their draft assets for the rest of the decade, Windhorst notes. Milwaukee doesn’t control its next six first-round picks, so there’s added incentive to find a way to make the Antetokounmpo-Lillard pairing work.

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The Bucks are counting on a boost from the return of Khris Middleton, who participated in a three-on-three scrimmage Thursday for the first time since having offseason surgery on both ankles, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN. The team is hoping he can advance to five-on-five soon, clearing the way for him to return to action. Collier points out that Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Middleton had a plus-17.5 net efficiency rating last season, which ranked second among NBA trios with at least 600 minutes together. However, they were all in the lineup for just five games after the All-Star break. “I haven’t coached him much at all,” said Doc Rivers, who took over the team in late January. “I had him in the playoffs, but other than that, not a lot of games. But I know he can play. I know how good he is, but right now that’s not the focus for me. I’m more focused on what we have and who’s playing right now.”
The Bucks were able to add three veterans on minimum-salary contracts over the summer, but they’ve mostly been disappointing so far, Collier adds. Taurean Prince has provided an outside shooting threat, connecting at 55% from beyond the arc, but Gary Trent Jr. is shooting a career-worst 23% from three-point range and Delon Wright has 15 total points in seven games.
Rivers expressed confidence in Trent after replacing him with Andre Jackson Jr. in the starting lineup for Thursday’s game, per Jim Owczarski of The Journal-Sentinel. “I think eventually Gary will work his way back,” Rivers said. “Just trying to give him room to breathe and get out of his little thing. Because I know he will.”

Central Notes: Walker, Turner, Cavs, Middleton, Jackson

November 7th, 2024 at 10:50pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Jarace Walker played sparingly during his rookie season for the Pacers after being selected with the No. 8 overall pick in last year’s draft. However, he showed Wednesday why he was a lottery selection just a year ago, contributing a career-high 17 points on perfect (7-of-7) shooting.

According to IndyStar’s Dustin Dopirak, that performance could cement Walker in the rotation even when forward Aaron Nesmith returns from injury.

“Jarace Walker tonight, this was certainly a tremendous performance by him,” head coach Rick Carlisle said. “He earned all the minutes. Shot-making was great. He rebounded and defended their best players. Had a big block at the end of one quarter that was a real momentum play. There’s nothing like heat-of-the-moment, big-time intensity to really learn what it’s all about and he really responded great.”

Wednesday’s game marked the third straight time Walker reached double-digit minutes. Some of his primary defensive assignments through that stretch included Luka Doncic, Brandon Ingram and Franz Wagner.

“I feel like [Wednesday] wasn’t my best defensive night but I feel like I’m just continuing to take leaps,” Walker said. “I’m watching a lot of film, continuing to grow on that side, but just continuing to focus on and work on pressing up on defense, pick-and-roll defense and obviously one-on-one. I feel like I’m continuing to grow on that side as well.”

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Myles Turner continues to be a locker room staple and franchise cornerstone for the Pacers despite being included in trade rumors several times through his 10-year NBA career. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda’s Grant Afseth, Turner discussed his connection with his teammates and his value to the Pacers. “I’ve battled through a lot, but it hasn’t broken me,” Turner said. “I want to stay ready and be an example for the next generation.“
The Cavaliers are off to their best start in franchise history, beginning the year with a 9-0 record, Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com details. Cleveland is playing tremendous team-oriented basketball, with Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen, Darius Garland and Evan Mobley all playing at or around All-Star levels to begin the season. The Cavs rank first in the league in points and field goal percentage.
Despite the Cavaliers‘ perfect record, Mitchell hasn’t been pleased with recent officiating, Fedor writes. “We’re playing against these teams that are getting tick-tack calls,” Mitchell said after Wednesday’s win over the Pelicans. “Tonight, I don’t even know when the first foul was called in the second half.” Cleveland shot 13 free throws to New Orleans’ 28 in that game.
The Bucks are still not offering a timeline for the return to play for forward Khris Middleton, Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel writes. Head coach Doc Rivers said he didn’t know if he’d classify Middleton as dealing with more of a day-to-day or week-to-week injury. Rivers did say that the former All-Star could play in a live, five-on-five practice session on a game day if needed, Owczarski writes, meaning a lack of practice time for the team as a whole shouldn’t delay his return. “Everybody’s different,” Rivers said. “Khris has had a lot of injuries and surgical stuff, so it’s just not as fast as we thought it would be and there’s nothing wrong with that.“
Milwaukee inserted Andre Jackson Jr. into the starting rotation and the Bucks ended up snapping a six-game losing streak. Veteran Bucks guard Damian Lillard was complimentary of how the second-year wing played, according to Gabe Stoltz of Brew Hoop (Twitter link). “Every good team has somebody that you can point to as like a disruptor, energy player that just brings that to a team and I think it was obvious with him out there,” Lillard said.

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