NEWSLETTER
Less than 24 hours after Khris Middleton had to leave Game 2 with a knee injury, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the Bucks’ All-Star is expected to miss the remainder of the first round.
Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Khris Middleton has an MCL sprain in his left knee and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, sources tell ESPN. Bucks will have to play without Middleton for the rest of this first-round series against Chicago.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2022
Middleton has long been the Bucks’ go-to No. 2, offering a versatile three-level scoring ability that has been a strong complement alongside MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. There is no question that taking him out for the remainder of this series could have a heavy impact on how this team approaches things moving forward. After all, the Bulls now have one less dynamic player to worry about, allowing them to focus even more of their defensive attention on the 2x MVP.
With the series tied 1-1 and heading back to Chicago, this news feels like it could shift a lot of the momentum, but we also know this Bucks squad isn’t going to be down without a fight. Not to mention they still easily have the best player on the floor.
You never like to see a player go down during this time of year, even if it’s your opponent, so I truly do wish Middleton a very speedy recovery. Anyway, I’ll have some more thoughts on exactly how this could change the game plan after I digest the news further. The door has opened wider for the Bulls to take command of this series, though.
You can see more from our original post from last night below
Midway through the 4th quarter of Wednesday night’s Game 2, Khris Middleton walked off the court under his own power to the locker room.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ All-Star did not return for the remainder of the game, and head coach Mike Budenholzer announced after the final buzzer that it was due to an MCL sprain in his left knee. Middleton will now have to undergo an MRI to determine the severity of the injury, which ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski announced will happen on Thursday.
Middleton’s MRI on Thursday will give a clearer indication of the severity of the MCL sprain and a possible timeline on a return. https://t.co/k03dNwwl2s
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 21, 2022
Bucks forward Khris Middleton has a sprained MCL in his left knee, coach Mike Budenholzer says.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 21, 2022
Middleton was able to walk off the court under his own power to the locker room. But, clearly, the fact the team has already diagnosed him with a sprain and scheduled an MRI could be a concerning sign for his status moving forward. His availability for Friday’s Game 3 now appears as if it could be in serious question.
There is no doubt Middleton’s absence in any game could hold a significant impact on the series. Averaging 20.1 points with 5.4 assists and 1.2 steals per game, he’s arguably the team’s second-best player with tons of pivotal playoff experience. We’ll keep our eye out for any new updates, as I’m sure we’ll get something new over the next 24 hours.
