Sixers vs. Bucks: Khris Middleton's Playing Status on Thursday

Will Khris Middleton face the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday?

After back-to-back games in the Big Apple against the New York Knicks, the Philadelphia 76ers continue their road trip on Thursday night with a matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks.

To no surprise, the home team will continue rolling without one of their key players, as the Bucks once again ruled out Khris Middleton.

Lately, Middleton has been dealing with a sprained ankle. The last time he appeared on the court was during the Bucks’ February 6 matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Coming off of a one-game absence, Middleton checked in for just eight minutes in Phoenix.

From that point on, the Bucks’ sharpshooter has been sidelined. Thursday’s matchup against the Sixers marks the 16th absence in a row for Middleton. 

This year, Middleton appeared in 43 games for the Bucks. Averaging 26 minutes on the court, the standout forward was averaging fewer than 15 points per game for the first time since the 2016-2017 season.

While his production was slightly down compared to last year, Middleton’s three-point shooting numbers were up from 31 to 37 percent. The Bucks see Middleton progressing and hope to have him back before they embark on an eventual playoff run. For the time being, he’ll continue working on his recovery.

Meanwhile, the Sixers will roll without several players in Milwaukee. As expected, Joel Embiid has been ruled out as he continues to recover from a knee injury. In addition to the superstar big man, Philadelphia will miss the veteran guard De’Anthony Melton and the reserve forward Robert Covington.

The Sixers and the Bucks are slated to tip off at 8 PM ET on Thursday.