Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers is anticipating the return of star forward, Khris Middleton, to action. On Wednesday, Middleton participated in practice, showing a positive sign of his potential return following his recovery from surgery on both ankles.
The three-time All-Star has not played in any of the Bucks‘ 21 games this 2024–25 NBA season. In an interview with reporters, Rivers said he’d understand if Middleton was frustrated over the slow progress in his return.
“Anybody who wants to play, and Khris is one of those [guys], they’re frustrated,” Rivers said. “That’s mentally challenging. You see your team playing and although we’re playing well right now, I imagine when we were really struggling and he wasn’t playing that had to be really hard for him. You want to help your team, and he knows he can.”
Rivers said the forward played 5-on-5 on Wednesday, saying the star player could return if he felt great.
“If it felt right, he’d be playing, obviously,” he continued. “There’s no answer. He’s working his butt off and doing all the stuff he’s supposed to do. He’s just yet to get on the floor. We feel like that’s coming soon, and you’ve heard that before. We’re just hopeful it’s really soon.”
Last season, Middleton was limited to 55 games and averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. According to Rivers, the former NBA champion could be itching to get back on the court with his teammates.
“I don’t think this is an easy stretch for Khris by any means. I’d rather play in a game than in a group of five the morning of a game, I know that. I think this is hard.”
Bucks get a positive update on Khris Middleton
According to the Bucks, Middleton is set to make his season debut on Friday against the Boston Celtics. Milwaukee lost to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, ending their seven-game win streak.
🚨 BREAKING: Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton will make his season debut Friday night at Boston, per Bobby Marks. pic.twitter.com/mqdsjfE7eO
— TheBucksZone (@TheBucksZone) December 5, 2024
Initially, the Bucks expected Middleton to be healthy at the start of the season. However, he wasn’t cleared and required more time to get better.
Without him, the Bucks had a sluggish 2-8 start to their campaign. Fortunately for the team, they turned things around and have an 11-10 record to take fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings. The team has also been stable in the 15th place in the league’s Power Rankings.
With Middleton’s return, the Bucks will finally be at their best.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen with Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
