Khris Middleton Expected to Make Season Debut Against Celtics
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton is poised to make his much-anticipated debut for the 2024-25 season Friday. He missed the team’s first 21 games while recovering from offseason surgeries on both ankles.
The Bucks announced Middleton as probable for Friday night’s matchup against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics, a 7:30 p.m. ET tipoff on ESPN.
After missing the beginning of the season, Middleton participated in a full five-on-five practice Wednesday, according to Bucks coach Doc Rivers. Last week, Rivers acknowledged the frustration Middleton surely felt watching from the sideline as the Bucks started the season strong.
“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.”
There was optimism before the season began that Middleton wouldn’t miss a significant amount of time following his surgeries. However, this situation prolongs his recent struggles to stay healthy, having appeared in just 33 games in 2022-23 and 55 games the previous season due to a variety of injuries. Unfortunately, a sprained medial collateral ligament cost him the Bucks’ final 10 playoff games in 2022.
Middleton remains a valuable asset when healthy. During the 2023-24 regular season, he averaged 15.1 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.7 rebounds. When two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers, Middleton stepped up significantly, averaging 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists over the six-game series.
Do you think the Bucks will need to make significant adjustments to their gameplay to accommodate Middleton?
**Interviewer:** Joining us now is basketball analyst Sarah Davis. Sarah, Khris Middleton is finally back after a long recovery. How do you think his return will impact the Bucks’ already strong start to the season?
**Sarah Davis:**
It’s fantastic to have Middleton back. He brings much-needed experience and offensive firepower to a Bucks team that’s already looking impressive. But, some might argue that the Bucks have been playing so well without him, they’ll need to adjust to his presence. Will they lose a little something in their current chemistry?
**Interviewer:** That’s a great point.
What do our readers think? Will Middleton’s return boost the Bucks even further, or could it throw a wrench in their rhythm? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
