Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer feels it was the right time to increase Khris Middleton's playing time as he scored a joint season-high 24 points in their 134-123 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.
Middleton retuned to the starting line-up for the first time since December 15, having 11 assists to go with his 24 points on five-of-nine shooting from the field with 13-of-14 from the free-throw line.
The Bucks wing played a joint season-high 31 minutes, marking the first time he has exceeded 30 minutes on court since December, having had an injury-interrupted season.
Middleton missed the first 20 games of the season with a wrist injury, before being sidelined with a knee problem in December and January. His increase in minutes came after putting together a run of games and coincided with Jrue Holiday (sore neck) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (non-COVID-19 illness) being out.
"It felt like it was the right time for [Middleton] to get up to the 30-minute plateau, with Jrue and Giannis not playing," Budenholzer told reporters.
"Just a lot of things. Eleven assists, being a playmaker and doing a little bit of everything, he set a good tone for us early.
"We were fortunate to have him come off the bench for us for a good long stretch, and he’s going to continue to do those things where he's always been, in our starting lineup."
Middleton is averaging 21.8 minutes per game this season, with 13.2 points well down on his 20.4 average in the Bucks' title-winning 2020-21 season where he also averaged 6.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists.
The Bucks showcased their depth of offensive options despite missing their All-Star duo, as Brook Lopez top-scored with 26 points, while Jevon Carter added 24 and Jae Crowder contributed 15 off the bench.
Crowder only joined the Bucks last month from the Phoenix Suns, having agreed to sit out the 2022-23 season until a trade was found. Tuesday's game was his seventh game for Milwaukee, recording his best yet points return.
"It was good for him," Budenholzer said. "That's a silver lining to a couple of guys not playing, he got to play a lot of minutes, he got a good rhythm, he made some shots, he got to the free-throw line.
"Defensively he's locked in. He's doing everything we ask. He's got an edge on the defensive end."
The Bucks lead the NBA with a 47-18 record, having won 18 of their past 19 games.
England 2-0 Ukraine: Saka stars as Three Lions stroll
Bukayo Saka was instrumental and Harry Kane was again on target as England strolled to a 2-0 win over Ukraine in Euro 2024 qualifying.
Having become England's all-time leading scorer in the 2-1 win over Italy in Naples, Kane broke the deadlock in the 37th minute at Wembley Stadium on Sunday.
England's captain converted a superb cross from Saka, who then put the hosts in complete command three minutes later.
A comeback was never on the cards after the Arsenal star's long-range effort, with England firmly in control of Group C with six points from two games.
England had struggled to break down Ukraine before Saka produced a whipped delivery to the far post, where Kane was waiting to fire into the bottom-left corner with aplomb.
After teeing up the first, Saka then produced a second out of nothing, bending magnificently into the top-right corner.
Ukraine were improved in the second half, but did not even manage a corner until the 73rd minute, illustrating England's comfort in seeing out the victory.
England withdrew Kane late on to hand Ivan Toney his England debut, and Gareth Southgate will surely have several opportunities to introduce new faces if his side's qualifying campaign continues in this serene fashion.
Toney's fellow substitute Conor Gallagher forced a smart stop out of Anatolii Trubin before Harry Maguire headed over and Jack Grealish went close, with the only frustration for England being a failure to add further gloss with a third.
Deschamps backs Mbappe for more records as France prepare for Ferguson challenge
Didier Deschamps expects Kylian Mbappe to continue breaking France records but knows a Republic of Ireland generation inspired by teenage talisman Evan Ferguson pose a threat.
Les Bleus thrashed the Netherlands 4-0 in their opening Euro 2024 qualifier and will be confident of claiming another three points in Dublin on Monday.
New captain Mbappe hit a double against the Dutch, taking him to 38 international goals and fifth on France's all-time scoring charts – just three shy of the great Michel Platini (41).
Mbappe has scored half of those in his last 16 outings, as many as in his first 51 games, Deschamps suggests there is no limit for the 24-year-old.
"It's Kylian, he's full of ambitions. When he reaches one, he has another to reach," Deschamps said at a press conference.
"He reached and exceeded quite a few very early on. He has that in him. He has a driving role compared to the whole group.
"He will do everything to get there, he will need the others, but it's Kylian."
France have won their last four qualifying matches, for both the World Cup and Euros, by an aggregate score of 16-0.
Les Bleus have not managed five qualifying victories without conceding since doing so between November 1981 and December 1984, but they face an Ireland side buoyed by a young prospect of their own.
Ferguson scored on his first international start in a 3-2 win over Latvia and could become the first Ireland player to net in consecutive appearances before turning 19.
The Brighton and Hove Albion striker has been a hot topic of discussion, with Deschamps acknowledging the danger the 18-year-old might offer.
"It goes back to [Euro] 2016. I remember that we were trailing 1-0 [in the round of 16 before winning 2-1] and that it was complicated," Deschamps said.
"But there is a new generation with Ferguson. It is always very difficult to compare."
Ireland have lost just three of their last 30 Euros qualifying games (W14 D13) and are unbeaten in their last 14 on home soil (W8 D6), including play-off fixtures.
That strong home form is a factor Deschamps knows France must deal with.
He continued: "They are a technical team. From what I have seen, they use less direct play and long balls. It will be a different game, with the crowd pushing as well.
"It's a high level and it's up to us to do no less."
De Kock-inspired South Africa mount record T20I run chase after record-breaking Charles century
Quinton de Kock's sensational century propelled South Africa to a remarkable six-wicket victory over West Indies in a thrilling T20I after a record-breaking knock from Johnson Charles at Centurion.
Charles' astonishing 118 from 46 balls and an excellent 51 from Kyle Mayers got the Windies to what looked to be a series-winning total of 258-5 on Sunday.
Yet De Kock (100 off 44) had other ideas, with South Africa's former captain leading the Proteas to a sensational triumph and the highest successful run chase in T20Is.
By the end of the third over the hosts had scored 62 without loss, and they added an additional 20 runs from the next 18 deliveries. South Africa's total of 102-0 from the first six overs is the highest powerplay score in a T20I involving Test-playing nations, and the fastest first hundred runs scored in a T20I involving a full ICC member.
In the process, De Kock struck South Africa's quickest 50, from just 15 balls – the fifth-fastest half-century in the shortest format.
De Kock should have been caught in the deep shortly after, but did not let up as he cruised to his maiden T20I century, taking just 42 deliveries to get there, before falling to Raymon Reifer soon after.
Reeza Hendricks (68 from 28 balls) picked up the slack, though he followed Rilee Rossouw (16) in heading back to the pavilion when the Windies claimed wickets in swift succession in the 12th and 13th overs.
Romario Shepherd caught David Miller to hand West Indies a further flash of hope, yet three big hits from new captain Aiden Markram (38) put the Proteas back in control as they cantered to victory and levelled the series.
Charles' record ton overshadowed
If it was not for De Kock's sparkling knock, Charles would have been the story.
His century, which came from 39 deliveries and included 11 sixes and 10 fours, was the fastest T20I hundred by a West Indies player, surpassing a record set by Chris Gayle in 2016 (47 balls). Unfortunately for the tourists, it was not enough.
Bad day for the bowlers
It was certainly a day for the batters at SuperSport Park. South Africa's bowlers set the tone for what was to come as they struggled to keep the Windies under wraps, despite Wayne Parnell (2-42) dismissing Brandon King in the first over.
The Windies attack then suffered as De Kock, Hendricks and then Markram put them to the sword in a stunning display.
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