Matt Velazquez

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. - In sports, there is a constant call for hierarchies.

Who is the greatest of all time? Which player is a team's alpha? Who do you want to have the ball with the game on the line? What are the top five plays of the day, the week, the season?

That type of talk has been especially prevalent in the NBA over the past dozen years as players have grouped up to form Big 3's and super teams, with certain players taking the reins and others slotting into support roles.

By and large, though, the Milwaukee Bucks have eschewed all the hierarchy stuff on their way to a 32-12 start heading into Saturday's 6 p.m. contest against the Orlando Magic at Amway Center.

“It doesn’t matter. It’s not No. 1, No. 2, No. 3," Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. "Everybody’s going to get credit at the end.

"I don’t think we think about who is No. 1, who is No. 2, who is No. 3, who is the next option. We’re just going out there, trying to have fun, trying to win. I think everybody’s playing the right way, everybody’s playing to win this year.”

Sure, you could argue it's easy for Antetokounmpo to say that considering he's the clear No. 1 option. An MVP frontrunner and the Eastern Conference's presumed wire-to-wire leading vote-getter for the all-star game – he led all East players by some 400,000 votes as of Thursday's update – Antetokounmpo is undeniably the tip of the spear for the Bucks.

He averages the most points (26.4) and gets the most touches while playing the most minutes (33.0 per game). He's also unselfish, however, has no reservations about passing to anyone at any time while collecting a career-best 6.0 assists per game.

For opposing teams, that's what makes the Bucks especially hard to guard.

“The success that they’ve had on the offensive end of the floor is because everybody who is on the floor for them is a threat," Memphis Grizzlies coach J.B. Bickerstaff said.

"You can’t just put your eyes on one guy and say we’re going to slow him down because the other four guys are capable of beating you and they know that. They move the ball to one another, they share the ball with one another, so I think that’s what makes them so tough offensively.”

Collectively, the Bucks have the fourth-best offensive rating in the league and rank fifth in assists per game. Outside of Antetokounmpo, the team's three leading playmakers – Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon – all get a similar amount of usage on offense and have each flourished in their own ways. Middleton and Bledsoe have reached a higher level of play-making success, each averaging a career best in terms of assists per 36 minutes with Middleton at 4.8 and Bledsoe at 7.0.

Milwaukee's five starters are all averaging more than 10 points per game, and a deep collection of bench players have proven, particularly in recent weeks, they're all capable of contributing at a high level. That's exactly how coach Mike Budenholzer likes it, applying the egalitarian approach he learned in San Antonio and honed in Atlanta to the Bucks in his first year in Milwaukee.

It's noticeably different from how the Bucks played last season when Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Bledsoe sometimes seemed to fall in the rut of taking turns offensively. Now the ball is moving and it's finding everyone.

"Today it could be me, tomorrow it could be Khris, the next game … it could be Brook (Lopez)," Antetokounmpo said. "It’s a big advantage for us. When we’re on the court we’ve got to take advantage of it and move the ball and find the hot hand.”

Of course, there's always the urge to create a hierarchy. If Antetokounmpo is No. 1, then who is No. 2? In past years, Middleton was his clear running mate, particularly in last season's playoffs when he averaged 24.7 points while shooting 59.8 percent overall and 61.0 percent from three-point range in seven games against the Boston Celtics.

But this year it hasn't been as clear. Middleton's scoring and shooting percentage are down and he's playing over five minutes fewer per game than he was last season. His shots aren't coming for his regular spots and he's still working to find the perfect fit within the flow of the offense.

For him, the "everybody eats" mentality has meant he's had to accept a smaller portion, but it's something he's willing to do in the name of team success.

"I’ve had to change my game a lot – try to play the right way, try to do the right things, try to be the glue guy for the team for the most part," Middleton said. "I think guys realize that. … We have to do what’s best for the team.”

With a $13 million player option on the table this summer – a deal under market value he will likely turn down – Middleton didn't have to accept a smaller role this season. He could have sulked, put up a high volume of shots or become a toxic presence in the locker room.

He hasn't done any of those things. Yes, he did get benched by Budenholzer in a loss to the New York Knicks in early December, but he immediately took responsibility and responded well to Budenholzer's insistence that he bring a better effort on defense. In the locker room, Middleton has the unwavering respect of his teammates as one of the team's leaders.

“He’s a winner," Antetokounmpo said. "He’s not selfish. He could be selfish and say, ‘I’m Khris Middleton, I want the ball. This is my year, I’m going to make this my year.’ But he didn’t do that. He’s playing the right way, he’s playing for the team, he’s playing to win."

Considering what he's given up, Middleton is still a major part of the Bucks' attack. He's averaging 17.5 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 38.1 percent on three-pointers, which in the East is plenty to put him in the conversation for the All-Star Game.

After being on the fringes of that discussion last year, Middleton hopes with his impact on the team's success he'll hear his name called as an all-star for the first time when the coach-selected reserves are announced on Jan. 31.

"I think my all-around game has helped this team be in first place," he said. "I’m not saying I deserve it or I’m the main reason why we’re winning, but I think I’m a big part of what we’re doing.”

Antetokounmpo, who has played alongside Middleton since the two arrived in Milwaukee in 2013, believes Middleton is largely underappreciated and deserves the opportunity to join him in Charlotte for all-star weekend. He's not above campaigning, either.

"I think people have to appreciate him even more if you know what he’s doing for this team," Antetokounmpo said. "Khris should be an all-star this year, definitely. Write that on Twitter with caps.”

While those two have all-star aspirations – not to mention there's a good case to be made for Bledsoe – the important thing for the Bucks is that their true focus is team oriented. Middleton, in particular, isn't dead set on being the Robin to Antetokounmpo's Batman.

On Wednesday, Bledsoe had it going and was the driving force behind Milwaukee's win in Memphis. Brogdon has had the freedom to drive and take over games on the way to shooting 51.5 percent from the field, 42.7 on three-pointers and 95.6 percent on free throws. Lopez is taking more three-pointers than anyone on the team, but his floor spacing and hot stretches have been major boosts for the Bucks even if they've come at the expense of other players getting shots considering Milwaukee's centers haven't been asked to do as much in recent years.

So far, Budenholzer's system with weapons everywhere around Antetokounmpo and a deep bench has translated to clear success in the regular season. Can it carry the Bucks to a deep playoff run? They're looking forward to finding out.

"We know what we all can do," Middleton said. "We have so many talented guys where anyone can have their night. We’re such a great team, a deep team.”