Khris Middleton out for entire 2nd round series against Celtics

[1987_Lakers]

The left MCL injury of Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton is a Grade 2 sprain and he is expected to miss the entire second-round series vs. Celtics, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The recovery of Grade 2 MCL places a potential Conference Finals in jeopardy for him as well. - Shams

[Akeem34TheDream]

Fvck. Could've been a great series.

[Mask the Embiid]

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[Mask the Embiid]

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[Mask the Embiid]

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[Wally450]

Damn. Still going to be tough for the Celtics. Bucks are a better team than the Nets.

[Mask the Embiid]

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[Shogon]

Well the Celtics should have no problems winning the East now. Wowzah.

Ok, so Celtics/Warriors Finals... interesting. I don't think the Celtics are capable of dealing with those GS boys but I could be wrong.

If there is any team at the moment that could, they seem like they'd be the ones.

[Mask the Embiid]

Damn. Still going to be tough for the Celtics. Bucks are a better team than the Nets.

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[Manny98]

With the way Grayson Allen has been playing recently I still give the Bucks a chance plus Giannis is the best player on the planet

[Real Men Wear Green]

The defense on Antetokuonmpo is still a question. JT has gotten strong but I don't think he's that strong plus he would be in constant foul trouble. The main guys should be Horford and Grant Williams. Only a little bit of Tatum this time.

[Naero]

****. I shouldn't complain considering how many injuries we capitalized on for our championship, but we were in a great position to legitimize last year's title with a less asteriskable one this year.

Not impossible for us to win this series, but there are too many wildcards at the moment. We'll need to see if Grayson Allen continues filling in Middleton's void—much easier said than done against the Celtics' defense—and if Giannis can overcome the wall (which the Celtics will most likely try).

Either way, I'll be increasingly thankful for last year's championship. Setbacks like these help remind you how many stars need to align to win it all.

[r0drig0lac]

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[lilteapot]

That's annoying man. I really wanted the Bucks to repeat. Think it'll be Celtics in 6

[FultzNationRISE]

From an overall basketball perspective, playing Portis and Allen more minutes is not really much of a downgrade from Middleton to be honest.

KM is a solid iso scorer (and to his credit he doesnt over-do it), but I personally dont think he’s a really big deal to be missing. And the games from the first round seem to support that.

This series could still go either way IMO.

[Phoenix]

I don't think this makes it a foregone conclusion for the Celtics, tbh.

[HylianNightmare]

hope the bucks pull it off

[Kawhi_Why_Not]

Giannis\Jrue are like Durant\Irving, give or take. So celtics should win pretty easily. Unless Giannis is just that much better then Durant these days which could be possible.

[John_Connor]

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https://c.tenor.com/3lINhv6kD2MAAAAC/asterisk.gif

injuries aren't asterisks

if they were then every title would be void

2000 - duncan
2002 - peja
2003 - kobe
2004 - malone
2005 - wade
2008 - bynum/ariza
2009 - nelson
2010 - perkins
2011 - kobe
2012 - rose
2013 - kobe
2015 - kyrie/love
2016 - bogut/iguodala
2017 - kawhi
2018 - kyrie
2019 - durant/klay
2020 - durant
2021 - a bunch
2022 - a bunch

[Jasper]

season series (4 games) 2 2 so this could go 7 game series.

[ImKobe]

Boston is riding a high off that 1st round sweep but they better win this series or they'll be back to where they were pre-ASB. No Khris, no HCA. Can't let Giannis beat you.


Giannis\Jrue are like Durant\Irving, give or take. So celtics should win pretty easily. Unless Giannis is just that much better then Durant these days which could be possible.

The difference is that Giannis is way more physical than Durant and is on a different level in transition and on defense, so expect the Celtics to have bad offensive games and expect Giannis to kill them on the glass. If you watched the 2019 ECSF, you know that Horford can't keep up with Giannis. Celtics have a better team now but Giannis' game has evolved a lot since then as well. They're going to deny him the ball and make others beat them but he's going to be a monster on the offensive glass and he will get the bigs in foul trouble and find easy buckets in transition.

[ArbitraryWater]

injuries aren't asterisks

if they were then every title would be void

2000 - duncan
2002 - peja
2003 - kobe
2004 - malone
2005 - wade
2008 - bynum/ariza
2009 - nelson
2010 - perkins
2011 - kobe
2012 - rose
2013 - kobe
2015 - kyrie/love
2016 - bogut/iguodala
2017 - kawhi
2018 - kyrie
2019 - durant/klay
2020 - durant
2021 - a bunch
2022 - a bunch

man said bogut/igoudala lol


2016 probably the least injury struck season ever

[kawhileonard2]

Bucks probably still win this series in 7.

[Wally450]

injuries aren't asterisks

if they were then every title would be void

2000 - duncan
2002 - peja
2003 - kobe
2004 - malone
2005 - wade
2008 - bynum/ariza
2009 - nelson
2010 - perkins
2011 - kobe
2012 - rose
2013 - kobe
2015 - kyrie/love
2016 - bogut/iguodala
2017 - kawhi
2018 - kyrie
2019 - durant/klay
2020 - durant
2021 - a bunch
2022 - a bunch

You really gonna say Nelson for 2009 and not mention KG? :oldlol:

[Mr. Woke]

Celtics getting lucky once again.

First they faced a Nets team missing two of their four best players and now they get to play a Bucks team missing one of its three best players.

Hopefully the Nets will have better luck next season; they really are due for some good luck because they have arguably been the unluckiest team the past two seasons.

[NBAGOAT]

Celtics getting lucky once again.

First they faced a Nets team missing two of their four best players and now they get to play a Bucks team missing one of its three best players.

Hopefully the Nets will have better luck next season; they really are due for some good luck because they have arguably been the unluckiest team the past two seasons.

Clippers say hello.

[AlternativeAcc.]

HUGE * for the Warriors AGAIN.

Bucks were the only team who could beat the Warriors... and now they'll be gone

:facepalm

[Mr. Woke]

Clippers say hello.

It's a toss up between the Nets and the Clippers.

[PP34Deuce]

Giannis isn't durant you can't bully him or psyche him out.

I expect you see brown guarding jrue. He's faster than Tatum and actually more explosive.

Smart will rotate between giannis and jrue.

Greyson Allen has taken the leaf and it makes their guard depth better.

I don't know who wins because I believe it's a 7 game series.

[Shogon]

Well the Celtics should have no problems winning the East now. Wowzah.

Ok, so Celtics/Warriors Finals... interesting. I don't think the Celtics are capable of dealing with those GS boys but I could be wrong.

If there is any team at the moment that could, they seem like they'd be the ones.


The Heat definitely pushed it further than I anticipated and so did the Bucks for that matter, but things are still on track.

I truly believe it would have been Bucks/Warriors with the Warriors winning either way this year had Middleton not gone down.

[AlternativeAcc.]

HUGE * for the Warriors AGAIN.

Bucks were the only team who could beat the Warriors... and now they'll be gone

:facepalm

It's sickening.

[kawhileonard2]

HUGE * for the Warriors AGAIN.

Bucks were the only team who could beat the Warriors... and now they'll be gone

:facepalm

Memphis or Phoenix or Clippers as well with Kawhi.