The Milwaukee Bucks want to get back to winning ways after their defeat against the Atlanta Hawks 119-104 on Wednesday. The loss snapped a season-saving seven-game winning streak that Milwaukee desperately needed after starting the season 2-8.
While stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have started the 2024-25 NBA season mighty, the players around them have struggled significantly. Admittedly, head coach Doc Rivers hasn’t been as patient as his predecessor when it comes to changing players from the starting lineup and changing the rotation, but it took him some time to find the right solution.
Bouncing back from Wednesday’s loss won’t be straightforward as they face the Boston Celtics 18-4. But Milwaukee gets one of its most significant players back for the first time this season.
Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton makes his 2024-25 NBA debut against the Boston Celtics
It was announced on Thursday that three-time NBA All-Star Khris Middleton, who also leads the Bucks in three-pointers made, will make his season debut on Friday.
Middleton underwent surgery on both ankles in the offseason, but was expected to be ready to play by the start of the regular season. Of course, that didn’t happen.
It wasn’t that he had suffered any setbacks or further injuries, it was just that his body was taking longer to heal than doctors and other medical experts had originally estimated.
Additionally, Milwaukee and Middleton himself did not want him to return until he was 100% ready. From 2017-2022, he averaged 19.9 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 points per game, shooting 46/39/88 from the field.
In 2023–24, after initially suffering a knee injury against the Celtics in the 2022 NBA Playoffs, Middleton averaged 15.1 points, 4.5 rebounds and 5.2 assists while shooting 47/35/87 from the field .
Most importantly, he averaged 71 games in the 2017-2022 season compared to just 44 games in the last two years. His average minutes per game dropped from 32.6 to 26.0.
Milwaukee Bucks star Khris Middleton admits it was his toughest rehabilitation
During a recent meeting with Eric Nehm from AthleteMiddleton was asked if this particular return from injury was more complex than others he had experienced in his career.
He replied: :
“Yes. I think this one was definitely the hardest for me. Just because I had two surgeries. It wasn’t one. I was trying to balance on both feet without compensating for anything because that can lead to other injuries, so I would say “It was definitely the hardest thing for me to come back, just mentally, physically, feel good, feel good, feel ready, feel confident and do whatever I need to do after that.”
As frustrated as fans were, it looks like Middleton was even more so.
It will be great for everyone to see him back on the court.
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