© Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
The Milwaukee Bucks are optimistic that Khris Middleton will be available for the playoffs
The sore right knee that forced Khris Middleton to prematurely leave in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 105-92 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday may not be that serious at all.
Per a report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, Middleton had an MRI, and the result came back clean.
Middleton is expected to rehab the knee in the next week, and there is hope that he will be ready when the NBA playoffs begin on April 15.
Extra days off come in handy
The good thing for the Bucks is that they have extra days to spare for their ailing stars to fully heal before the playoffs.
Middleton left in the second quarter of that game versus the Bulls. The 13-point victory allowed the Bucks to secure the overall top seed and will have the home-court advantage in all of the playoff series that they will be part of.
Another key piece that could be ready to go for the playoffs is Grayson Allen. Allen left in the second quarter of Milwaukee’s 117-104 win over the Philadelphia Sixers after spraining his right ankle in the third quarter.
Hopeful of Grayson’s availability
According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer expressed confidence that Allen will be available for the playoffs.
“There was an MRI, I think the findings…we’re hopeful that, given that we have a week of games now and then kind of a week of preparation and waiting to see who comes out of the play-in tournaments, may coincide with he’s available,” Budenholzer said.
The Bucks will play their final regular season game on Sunday against the Toronto Raptors. Securing the overall top seed with still two games left is turning out to be a big bonus for the Bucks to rest their stars.
In the team’s 137-114 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Friday night, the Bucks had the luxury of resting their stars with Giannis Antetokounmpo (right knee soreness), Pat Connaughton (right ankle sprain), Middleton (right knee soreness), Jrue Holiday(rest), and Brook Lopez (rest) sitting out.
Joe Ingles and Bobby Portis Jr. were available but were not utilized.
