MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton's availability for Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoff series against the Indiana Pacers is uncertain after he missed Thursday's practice due to an ankle injury sustained in the previous game. ing.
Middleton limped off in the first quarter of Tuesday's 125-108 loss to the Bucks and briefly went to the locker room, but his right ankle was re-taped before he returned and ended up playing 36 minutes. Bucks manager Doc Rivers said Middleton did not practice at all Thursday and is unsure whether the three-time All-Star will be available for Friday's game in Indianapolis.
“It's another breathtaking situation,” Rivers said. “Honestly, I don't know.”
The Bucks and Pacers are tied at 1-1 in the best-of-seven series. Middleton averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds and five assists in the first two games.
Milwaukee had already played the first two games of this series without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who missed the Bucks' regular season after injuring his left calf on April 9 against the Boston Celtics. Missed the last three games.
“He did a lot on the floor today, probably the best I've seen him do,” Rivers said. “There's nothing alive. Today he was shooting and moving.”
Antetokounmpo's expected return date and availability on Friday remain uncertain.
“I saw him moving around, and in my opinion he's getting close,” Rivers said. “Does that mean one day or four days? I'm not sure.”
The Bucks have played without key players multiple times this year. The Bucks' top three players, Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Damian Lillard, have all played in just five of the past 35 games. This range of his 35 games includes his last 33 games of the regular season for Milwaukee and his first two games of this series.
“We've had games like that this season,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said. “We're ready for it. We've seen everything. Of course we want them to play. But if they can't do it, if they're healthy and If we have to do whatever we have to do to stay healthy, we're ready. ”
The Bucks have become accustomed to dealing with injuries during the postseason.
Antetokounmpo missed the remainder of the 2020 second-round loss to Miami due to an ankle sprain. He missed the remaining two games of the 2021 Eastern Conference Finals due to a knee hyperextension, but returned to lead Milwaukee to the championship as NBA Finals MVP with 50 points in the title-clinching victory.
Middleton missed the Bucks' final 10 games of the 2022 playoffs due to a sprained medial collateral ligament. Last year, Antetokounmpo was sidelined in Game 1 with a hip contusion and missed the next two games in the Bucks' first-round loss to Miami.
