Khris Middleton was special for Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Final brands of an era

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Charlotte, NC – Nobody knew at that time, but on Sunday night in Milwaukee, fans of the FISVer forum were witnesses of a special connection one last time at the end of the fourth quarter of the defeat of the Milwaukee Bucks against the Grizzlies of Memphis

With 3:40 remaining, shipowner Damian Lillard brought the ball in the middle of the court and hit a pass to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who headed from right to left to the left. Waiting for Antetokounmpo in the left corner was Khris Middleton, his 12 -seasons teammate.

As only those two players and their defenders remained on the left side, Middleton turned a dribble transfer and did what he has done so well with Antetokounmpo for more than a decade.

It conforms to the final assistance that Middleton did when a dollar went to Antetokounmpo. He was a fastener for October 30, 2013 at Madison Square Garden, where Antetokounmpo scored his first NBA point in a free kick after he received in the hoop after a Middleton pass in a fast break.

From that first attendance in 2013 until last Sunday, Middleton spoke 866 assists from Antetokounmpo in the 738 regular seasonal games and playoffs that played together. For now, there will be no more, such as Bucks on Wednesday He agreed to exchange Middleton to the Washington Wizards in an agreement that involves striker Kyle Kuzma.

For 12 years, the Antetokounmpo-Middleton duo built part of the most unwavering chemistry of the NBA. They were the standard bearers of the Bucks, and that shared responsibility was taken seriously.

“For me, it’s a little bigger than business, it’s family,” Antetokounmpo said in Shohounding on Wednesday morning in Charlotte. “With a guy with which I have won a championship, it’s not just that I have won, I have lost many times with him. I have been in a dark place many times with him. I have been on the bus going to many pressure situations with him .

“Not only the good times we had … I remember all the other times that all depended on us. The organization depended on us. The city depended on us. Our teammates depended on us. I remember all those moments. We were able to find a way to make things happen, and (we find) a way to win a championship.

“I know it’s a business, but for me, Khris is my brother. I will have a relationship with him after basketball. It hurts a little, but at the end of the day, I understand the commercial side of things, and I will still appear to work and do my job until it is my time to immerse myself. “

When the Bucks tried to solve things under Jason Kidd, Antetokounmpo and Middleton were the two players who stood out and helped provide answers on the team’s path forward. When Mike Budenholzer took over, Antetokounmpo and Middleton were the fundamental pieces that led the bucks through the first problems of the playoffs and, ultimately, He brought Milwaukee his first championship in 50 seasons. In the last three and a half seasons under three different coaches, Antetokounmpo and Middleton observed the other battle through injuries while trying to take the bucks to the mountain for the second time.

Now, Middleton is gone, and one of the oldest associations in the League has come to an end.

The exchange that Middleton sent to Washington brought other players to Milwaukee, but that part can wait. For now, it is time to appreciate an association that was never between two players that were never expected to gather long races and ended up meaning more than anyone could have imagined for a city in the middle of the small market.

Antetokounmpo and Middleton were not friends when it all started. They were only two young players competing around places on the list.

After a rookie season in which he appeared in just 27 games for the Detro Pistons, Middleton was sent to Milwaukee when the final piece in an exchange that saw the Bucks and Pistons Swap Point Guards, with Brandon Jennings addressing Detroit and Brandon Knight to get to Detroit and Brandon Knight Milwaukee with Middleton. That was the same summer, the Bucks recruited Antetokounmpo, a little known striker of Greece.

In their first season in Milwaukee, the two young players received broad opportunities to demonstrate their value under chief coach Larry Drew, since the Bucks won only 15 games, the worst season in the history of the franchise. After that disappointing season, the new Bucks owned group made some changes and brought Kidd to be the new team chief coach.

Seeing the potential in both players, Kidd faced each other. Regularly would make them protect each other in practices to compete daily for a longer game time.

“You can’t imagine how hard we went to each other in practice”, Antetokounmpo told him The Atlético In 2019. “As I went home, and when my family came, I was showing them the scratches I had in my arms. I used to go down, and would grab it hard. And I would push me. I used to hate him. You know: ‘F— This mother ––. I’m going to take your f—— minutes.

“I hated playing against him and practicing him because he was playing hard. And I was playing hard. And we would always face each other. “

These first battles formed a link that helped take dollars to be a team that simply sneaked into the playoffs to a perennial contender. When Bucks general manager Jon Horst, took over and began to reconfigure the list, Antetokounmpo and Middleton formed the foundation. They finally served as two of the most important pieces, since the Bucks made a race to the NBA finals of 2021.

From beginning to end, Middleton was massive in Bucks efforts to ensure a championship for the first time in 50 years.

In the first postseason game, the Bucks went to Middleton in a game tied with the shot clock off. He delivered.

In the second round, Middleton alternated great shots with Antetokounmpo to close an incredible round trip game against the Brooklyn Nets.

In the East Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks, Middleton was the one that was presented with a dazzling shooting exhibition when Antetokounmpo fell into game 4 with an injury in the left knee that left him aside for the rest of the series.

“Khris Middleton is doing a show!”

23 points in the 3T for Khris in TNT. pic.twitter.com/fihso3hojk

– NBA (@NBA) July 4, 2021

And in the NBA finals, Middleton gathered his first 40 -point playoff game to help bucks win the game 4 for even the series against the Phoenix Suns. Then, like antetokounmppo worked in a 50 -point performance In a closing game, Middleton resorted to a last clutch shot, a beautiful exhibition of trust and belief that Antetokounmpo had in his oldest teammate.

When it was time to celebrate the victory, it was not a surprise that Budenholzer talked about how lucky he felt when he was part of what Antetokounmpo and Middleton built in Milwaukee, and Antetokounmpo chose to release Middleton during his interview after the game.

“Khris, we did it, huh”, Antetokounmppo said during the presentation of the Larry O’Brien trophy In the FISVer forum. “F—— we did it.”

The last three and a half seasons did not come out as a Antetokounmpo and Middleton would have liked them. Middleton lost the second round series of the Bucks against the Boston Celtics in 2022 with an injury since the team was not successful in its attempt to repeat as NBA champions. In 2023, Antetokounmppo was marginalized for the majority of the Bucks first round series against the Miami Heat with an injury. Then, the first round of the first round of 2024 of the Bucks for the Indiana Pacers was lost.

The injuries stole some of the opportunities to face the moments full of pressure that only the postseason can appear together. Instead, they were forced to observe the battle from the cost. Now, they will be competing on televisions.

“I have played with Khris for 12 years. I spent incredible moments with him, ”said Antetokounmpo on Wednesday. “Obviously, I’m going to miss Khris. All in the team are going to miss Khris. Your leadership. For me, my brotherhood with Khris is the most important thing I’ve had in this team for many years.

“We are the oldest boys. They are not the oldest boys, but (we have been) here together for 12 years. There have been so many moments together. I have been close to Khris more than I have been close to my brothers and my family. I have had incredible moments on the court with him. … everyone will miss it. “

It remains to see if the dollars see it this way or not, but one of the most successful times in the history of the franchise ended Wednesday. Bucks can end up being successful in the future, but whatever happens, a new Bucks basketball era has begun.

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(Photo by Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton: Jonathan Daniel / Getty Images)