The Milwaukee Bucks simply looked toast as they entered Game 5 of their first-round matchup against the Indiana Pacers. Down 3-1, the Bucks needed to stave off elimination without the services of their two best players in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, both of whom are nursing leg injuries. But the Bucks made the most of a raucous home crowd, as they battled back from a first-quarter deficit to take a dominant 115-92 victory over the Pacers that sees them live to fight another day.

In the absences of both Antetokounmpo and Lillard, the onus to carry the team fell on Khris Middleton's shoulders. Middleton has been incredible against the Pacers, putting up a 42 points in an epic Game 3 performance that included two game-tying threes at the death, and in Game 5, he delivered for the Bucks. The veteran forward put up 29 points, and to top it all off, he also hauled in 12 boards — helping the Bucks overcome what has been a struggle for them at the glass.

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers had nothing but good things to say about Middleton, and they'll need this version of him moving forward even as they potentially get Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard back in the near future.

“He's been amazing — on both ends too. He has the ability to score, he has the ability to playmake as well. He, really, in a lot of ways, even though one of the guards would come off him, he was setting up everyone tonight. Khris was, on both ends, played a lot of minutes, wanted to stay in. He gave us everything tonight,” Rivers said in his postgame presser, per the official NBA Twitter (X) account, via ClutchPoints.

Khris Middleton deserves all his flowers

For the past two seasons, it has looked as though Khris Middleton's best days are behind him. Following the injury he sustained during the 2022 NBA playoffs, Middleton has looked like a shell of his former self, with his averages going down by a lot. This is without even going to his routine rest days that clearly took him out of his regular rhythm.

But now, Middleton appears to be back to his best self, and at exactly the best moment for the Bucks. Middleton looks like he's regained power in his legs, allowing him to shoot his jump shots with confidence, and as a result, he has exposed the Pacers' shaky perimeter defense.

This is the version of Middleton the Bucks needed last year when they suffered an upset at the hands of the Miami Heat. Nonetheless, the Bucks have Middleton at the apex of his abilities now, and they have a chance to mount a historic 3-1 comeback against the Pacers because of it.

Bucks came to play in Game 5

As good as Khris Middleton was in Game 5, the Bucks overcame an early double-digit deficit against the Pacers thanks to an impressive team performance. The Bucks, all season long, received poor reviews for their defense, but there they were, holding one of the most explosive offenses in the league to just 92 points on the night.

Five Bucks players also finished the game in double-digits in scoring. Joining Middleton was Bobby Portis, who had 29 points of his own in a bounce-back game after an early ejection in Game 4, while Malik Beasley, Patrick Beverley, and Brook Lopez scored 18, 13, and 12 points, respectively. Beverley, for good measure, added 12 assists.

If the Bucks' role players are on point, the Pacers better be careful despite still leading the series 3-2. After all, a return from the Bucks' injured stars appears to be on the horizon.