Will Khris Middleton Play Tonight vs the Nets? Bucks Injury Report As Giannis & Co Face Off Conference Rival

“Everybody wants to start and everybody wants to finish games. I didn’t get to start tonight, but I definitely was happy I got to finish the game,” said Khris Middleton following the Bucks’ matchup against the Celtics. After missing 21 games this season, the 33-year-old small forward made his highly anticipated season debut less than 48 hours ago. While the Bucks ultimately lost the game, Middleton’s performance—scoring 11 points, grabbing 3 rebounds, and dishing out 5 assists in 23 minutes—proved just how much Giannis Antetokounmpo and the team had been missing his presence.

Despite the long absence, the Bucks are likely being cautious with Middleton’s usage. However, having missed so much time already, Middleton may not want to sit out any longer. According to the Milwaukee Bucks Injury Report, Middleton remains ‘Probable’ with a ‘Day-To-Day’ status, indicating a strong possibility he will be available for the upcoming game. He won’t be the only player with a ‘Probable’ status, as MarJon Beauchamp, Taurean Prince, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are all in the same situation. Chris Livingston is listed as ‘Day-To-Day’ as well. However, his assignment to the G-League raises some uncertainty about his availability.

Middleton had been dealing with an ankle issue even before the season began. Much of his offseason was spent recovering from surgery on both ankles. Before his debut, he spoke with the Journal Sentinel about his progress, saying, “It’s the same, man. I feel good. I feel like I’m progressing. It’s just slower. Slower than I want it to be.” With his return now confirmed, the hope is Middleton will continue to get better, but the team will likely keep him on a controlled minutes restriction for now. While he averaged 27 minutes per game last season, his return saw him play 23 minutes. And it remains to be seen if that number will decrease in upcoming games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had recently found his name removed from the Injury Report. However, the player is now back. Not because of a stomach illness, but from the continued trouble with the right patella tendinopathy. Fortunately, since his status is ‘Probable’ too, there is a high chance for Giannis to be available. Together, the trio of Giannis, Middleton, and Lillard will improve the odds when their team takes on the Nets.

Speaking of the Brooklyn Nets, they have not 1, but 5 players listed as ‘OUT’. The list includes Bojan Bogdanovic, Cam Thomas, Jaylen Martin, Noah Clowney, and Ziaire Williams. This gives the Milwaukee Bucks a major advantage, along with setting up significant changes to the lineups of both teams.

How will the starting Lineup and Depth Chart look amid Khris Middleton’s availability?

Before Khris Middleton’s availability, AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. continued to cover for him. However, with the player now back, their minutes might reduce, but they can still stand by as backups. In light of this, analysts expect the Milwaukee Bucks to have a starting lineup that looks something like this:

Similarly, for the Brooklyn Nets, the starting lineup will look like this:

Do you believe that Khris Middleton will perform better against the Brooklyn Nets than he did with the Celtics? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.