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0 Milwaukee Bucks guard Khris Middleton was sidelined for Tuesday night’s NBA Cup final against the Oklahoma City Thunder due to illness, the team announced.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers explained the decision, emphasizing caution. “He participated in a walkthrough earlier today but wasn’t feeling well, so we sent him back,” Rivers said before the game. “We didn’t want to risk exposing the team, especially with a back-to-back coming up. It just wasn’t worth it.”
Middleton, who also missed Monday’s practice, is expected to recover in time for the Bucks’ back-to-back regular season games against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday and the Washington Wizards on Saturday.
The veteran guard recently returned to action after missing the first 21 games of the season while recovering from offseason surgeries on both ankles. In his four games back, Middleton has averaged 7 points, 5.8 assists, and 3 rebounds, steadily regaining his form.
A key figure in Milwaukee’s 2021 NBA championship and a member of Team USA’s gold medal-winning squad in Tokyo, Middleton played a significant role in the Bucks’ semifinal win over the Atlanta Hawks, contributing six points in Las Vegas on Saturday.
While his absence was felt in the high-stakes NBA Cup final, the Bucks remain optimistic about Middleton’s impact as they navigate the remainder of the season.
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