Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from big win over Los Angeles Lakers
By Dalton Sell
After dropping their last two games, the Milwaukee Bucks desperately needed to get back in the win column last night against the visiting Los Angeles Lakers.
Although the Lakers are still without LeBron James, who is battling through an abdominal injury, taking down this team would be a tall task. The Bucks looked to be in trouble early as Los Angeles built up a double-digit lead, but they would battle back and claim one of their own. The end result was a 109-102 Milwaukee victory, the perfect way to kick off this homestand at Fiserv Forum. With that being said, here are three significant takeaways from the contest.
Khris Middleton comes up clutch for the Milwaukee Bucks in his return to the lineup following an eight-game absence
After missing the previous eight games due to health and safety protocols, Khris Middleton made his long-awaited return to the Bucks last night.
Understandably, Middleton was rusty on the offensive end as he would finish with 16 points on a subpar 4-of-12 shooting, including 2-of-6 from behind the arc. He got a massive boost from the free throw line, where he shot 6-of-7 on the evening. While he struggled to find the bottom of the net for most of the night, the forward came to life in the fourth quarter. Middleton helped his team close this one out by scoring eight points in the final period, including back-to-back triples to give Milwaukee a lead early in the fourth.
In addition to his late-game heroics, Middleton finished with five rebounds, six assists, a blocked shot, and zero turnovers on the night. The forward’s all-around great game helped him notch a single-game +/- of +13, the second-highest on the Bucks. While he might not have been scoring the ball with his usual efficiency, he did all of the little things and hit several big shots in that final quarter to help his team get the win. It was great to see Middleton back out on the floor, and he will need some rest after playing 30 minutes in his return to action last night.