Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton didn’t have to wait long to test his body in his first game of the season against the Boston Celtics.
Within two minutes of entering his first game since having surgeries on both ankles during the offseason, Middleton was knocked to the floor by a foul from Boston’s Sam Hauser.
“I love it. Get it out of the way,” said Middleton, who scored 11 points, five assists, and three rebounds in 23 minutes during the Bucks’ 111-105 loss on Friday night. “That’s something that’s been happening to me in play groups, 1-on-1 sessions, workouts.
Just feeling that contact. Of course, the contact was a little bit more during the game, but I needed to feel that and feel what it is to be hit, fall down on the floor and not really worry about anything.”
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Middleton would be limited to a certain number of minutes, but Middleton played the whole game after Taurean Prince was sidelined with an illness in the second half.
Two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is dealing with right knee pain, also played on his 30th birthday.
Though he mentioned feeling winded at times, Middleton said his body handled it well physically.
“Everybody wants to start and everybody wants to finish games,” Middleton said. “I didn’t get to start tonight, but I definitely was happy I got to finish the game. Just wish I could have executed a little better. I thought I missed one shot that I normally hit. … It was a ball game the whole time up until maybe the last two or three possessions.”
Middleton had missed the first 21 games of the season. The 33-year-old played 55 games last season and just 33 in 2022-23 due to injuries. A knee injury also caused him to miss the Bucks’ last 10 playoff games in 2022.
It was only the ninth time that Rivers, who became the Bucks’ coach for the final 36 games last season, had the All-Star trio of Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Damian Lillard on the floor together. The trio had shared the court 43 times in total.
“Every coach, you want your key guys, and the more games you have them the better,” Rivers said. “Every time we can get them on the floor in a practice.
Every time we can get them on the floor in a game and it’s him, Giannis and Dame — it’s going to help our team grow. That’s where we’re behind with other teams who have had their key guys play together. It will come. It’s just going to take a minute.”
Rivers acknowledged it would be hard to integrate Middleton back into the rotation. The Bucks had a rough start to the season with a 2-8 record, but had won nine out of their last 11 games before Friday’s loss to Boston.
“It’s not easy, obviously,” Rivers said. “It’s whatever amount of games into the season, but I still want him back. Whatever the minutes are, we’re going to use them all up.”
Despite the loss, Middleton said the game was something they could build on.
“They’re a great team. We want to get back to where they were last year,” Middleton said. “It’s just about putting our best foot forward and trying to be the best team. We’re not worried about anything else really.”
