Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton, center, sits next to guard Damian Lillard, left, during the first half of an Emirates NBA Cup basketball game against the Miami Heat, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Miami. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton took part in practice with the Milwaukee Bucks early Wednesday as the veteran forward continued his recovery from offseason surgery on both ankles.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said he can understand if Middleton is frustrated as his missed his 21st straight game, this time against the Atlanta Hawks.
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Rivers had said multiple times over the past few weeks that he and his staff thought the three-time All-Star was close to making his season debut. On Wednesday, he said that the situation is likely wearing on Middleton mentally at this point.
READ: NBA: Khris Middleton joins Giannis on Bucks’ injured players list
“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.”
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The Bucks opened the season 2-8. Now they are on a seven-game winning streak and their record has improved to 11-9, good enough for fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Middleton participated in a five-on-five session Wednesday morning.
READ: NBA: Bucks confident they can contend again if they stay healthy
“If it felt right, he’d be playing, obviously,” Rivers said. “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.”
When healthy, the 33-year-old Middleton has shown the ability to be a key contributor, although injuries limited him to 55 games last season and 33 during the 2022-23 season.
Rivers said its obvious that Middleton, who has spent 11 of his 12-year NBA career with the Bucks and was a key cog on the 2021 team that captured its first NBA title in 50 years, is itching to get back on the court.
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“I don’t think this is an easy stretch for Khris by any means,” Rivers said. “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.”
