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Khris Middleton turns in another brilliant endgame performance in Milwaukee’s win over Houston
Khris Middleton returned from a one-game absence and once again did what he does best: deliver the finishing touches.
Middleton provided the needed endgame spark that helped the Milwaukee Bucks complete a 128-119 win over the Houston Rockets on Sunday night.
Khris, who sat out Milwaukee's 146-114 win over the Detroit Pistons on Saturday night, scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth period, delivering crucial baskets when the pesky Rockets refused to go away.
Khris doing Khris things
After trailing by as many as 14 points, Houston threatened to within three, 106-109, with still 5:56 left.
Middleton then hit a three-pointer to make it a six-point game, and after Dillon Brooks hit two free throws that cut Milwaukee's lead to four, he assisted Damian Lillard for a three-pointer, restoring a seven-point Bucks lead, 115-108, with 4:53 to go.
Being a fourth-quarter man is something that Middleton does best, Milwaukee coach Adrian Griffin pointed out.
"Khris does this all the time, where he just settles us down where we need a basket, and he goes and gets us a bucket," Griffin said. "Sometimes he scores, and sometimes it's an assist, but the fourth quarter is usually when Khris is at his best."
Khris' veteran smarts a key for Milwaukee
Middleton is still under a minute restriction after undergoing a knee procedure in the offseason. He played 29 minutes against the Rockets and also had three rebounds and two assists.
Middleton is averaging 12.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in the 20 games he has played this season.
Milwaukee can always turn to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard for points, but Khris is equally dependable, especially in critical stretches of the contest.
"He's a veteran guy, and veterans, you can't speed them up. They get to their spots, they create a little space to get their shot off, and obviously, he's a lead at that," Griffin said.
