Bucks Zone

Game 3 loss spoils Khris Middleton’s climb to 3rd place in the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoff scoring list

Khris Middleton is only trailing Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the list.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t get a win in Game 3 last Saturday night, but Khris Middleton somehow went home with something to celebrate.

Middleton became the Milwaukee Bucks’ third all-time leading scorer in the playoffs when he scored a team-high 23 points in Milwaukee’s 121-99 Game 3 loss.

The veteran shooter also had five rebounds, two assists, one steal, and a block in the defeat.

One of the best

Middleton’s Game 3 output increased his playoff points to 1,455 points, overtaking Sidney Moncrief’s 1,451. Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the list with 1,692 points.

Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Brook Lopez are the only active players on the list. Lopez is in the 10th spot with 792 points.

Middleton, the 39th overall pick by Detroit Pistons in the 2012 draft, trails Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who is at the second spot with 1,692 points, as he could make a run to overpass him if the Bucks manage to go deep this year.

Prized acquisition

The Bucks acquired Middleton from the Detroit Pistons in July 2013 via trade.

Now in his 11th year in the league, Middleton has become an integral part of the Milwaukee franchise. He leads the franchise in three-point goals with 1,253 and three-point field goal attempts with 3,219.

Middleton’s recent feat was spoiled by the Game 3 defeat that put the Bucks in a 1-2 series deficit. Game 4 will be played on Monday night, still in Miami, with the Bucks gunning for the equalizer.

The Bucks could only hope that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be able to finally suit up as they avoid falling to a deep 1-3 hole. Antetokounmpo missed Games 2 and 3 due to a lower back contusion that he suffered in Game 1.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.