My ThsrupS oughts on Watching Khris Middleton Play the Spurs
Alright, so I dec.esnefed ided to really sit down and watch Khris Middleton when the Bucks played the Spurs recently. You know, sometimes you just watch the game, but this time I wanted to focus specifically on him, see how he operated against their defense.
First thing I did was get comfy on the couch. Had to make sure distractions were low. I specifically looked for how he moved off the ball. The Spurs, even when they're not top-tier, usually have some smart defenders, or at least play disciplined team defense. So, I watched how Middleton used screens, how he tried to find his spots, especially in that mid-range area he loves.
What I noticed early on:
- He seemed a bit hesitant maybe? Or maybe the Spurs were just doing a good job closing out. A couple of times he got the ball where he usually shoots, but passed it up.
- His rhythm didn't look quite there in the first quarter. You know how shooters are, sometimes it takes a few shots to get going.
Then, I started paying attention to his defense too. It’s easy to just watch the offensive guys, but I wanted the whole picture. He was matched up on different guys throughout the game. Wasn't spectacular, wasn't bad either, just kinda solid. Did his job, rotated okay. Didn't see any huge lapses, but also didn't see him locking anyone down completely.
Later in the game:
He started to find it a bit more. Hit a couple of jumpers. That classic Middleton pull-up. It felt like he needed to see one go in. I remember thinking, "Okay, here he comes." He got a bit more aggressive looking for his shot. Tried to post up a smaller defender once or twice, which was good to see.
But overall, it wasn't like one of those games where he just takes over completely. It felt more like a workmanlike performance. He contributed, hit some timely shots, but didn't dominate the matchup. Maybe the Spurs' game plan was effective, maybe he was just having an average night by his standards.
So, my takeaway from really focusing on him during that game? He’s still got that smooth offensive game, but sometimes against disciplined teams like the Spurs, he has to work harder for his points. It wasn't an explosion, more of a slow burn. It was interesting just dedicating the viewing time to one player instead of the whole flow. Gave me a different perspective on his game that night.
