Milwaukee Bucks star forward Khris Middleton suffered a knee injury against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday. There was some concern about Middleton’s availability as the playoffs approached.
According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Middleton underwent imaging on Thursday, and while there is still some uncertainty about whether he will miss time, there is at least hope that he will be able to return for the playoffs.
Middleton’s right knee was reportedly scanned and found to be normal. He’ll be rehabbing for the next week in the hopes of rejoining the team in time for the postseason. The Bucks are currently the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 58-22. The team’s first playoff game wouldn’t be until April 15 at the earliest, giving Middleton just over a week to get everything right.
During the regular season, Middleton was limited to 33 games due to various injuries, including knee soreness. When Middleton returned, the team took it easy on him, limiting his minutes. However, once March arrived, Middleton began to see more regular playing time. Prior to Wednesday’s game, Middleton had appeared in at least 30 minutes in seven of the team’s previous 12 games.
Middleton has dealt with knee pain throughout his NBA career, but never during a game. He stated that the problem began after he tore his meniscus in college.
Though the Bucks performed admirably without Middleton during the regular season, his return to full health would be a huge boost for the team. Middleton averaged 23.6 points per game during the Bucks’ championship run in the 2020-21 NBA season.