Khris Middleton regrets not double-teaming Jimmy Butler in NBA Playoffs last season: "We got to live with that result"
When a top-tier NBA player gets into a zone, there’s only so much the defense can do. That’s what the Milwaukee Bucks dealt with in the first round of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. With Jimmy Butler waxing hot in the series, even scoring a Heat franchise record 56 points in Game 4, the Bucks could do little to slow down the man known as “Jimmy Buckets.” However, Bucks wingman Khris Middleton believes sending double-teams at the former Marquette star could have altered the series' outcome.
“We didn't do it. That was a decision we made as a team as a group, and we got to live with that result,” Middleton explained during his appearance on JJ Redick’s podcast.
Single coverage
The writing was on the wall as early as Game 1, wherein Butler and the Heat shocked the Bucks in Game 1, 130-117. Jimmy had 35 points, 11 assists, five rebounds, and three steals in that series-opener. He added 30 more points in a Game 3 win before exploding for 56 points in Game 4, as the Heat took a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Despite Butler’s offensive brilliance, the Bucks never wavered from their defensive game plan of single coverage on him, an approach Middleton believes was the right one given his teammate Jrue Holiday’s defensive sturdiness. But Jimmy was obviously playing on another level and burned the Bucks’ hesitance at throwing a double-team on him.
“It's tough to contain. I think, especially if we don't throw double teams at him. We talked about it but just didn't do it. That wasn't a game plan, we wanted to go with Jrue because we have a lot of trust in his track record, what he's done, what he's known,” Middleton said.
Good D, better offense
Jrue is undoubtedly among the NBA's elite defensive guards, yet it so happened that Butler, in this particular series, possessed a slight edge on offense. Throughout the entirety of the game, Holiday relentlessly hounded Butler, yet the latter showcased unwavering confidence and fearlessness in seizing the opportunity to drain pivotal shots.
“You've seen some of the shots that Jimmy hit, they were hot, Jrue is playing defense at an all-time high level, he's just making shots over him,” Middleton continued.
