Bucks’ Middleton probable to make his season debut Friday

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton appears on the verge of making his 2022-23 debut as he returns from offseason wrist surgery.

The NBA released an injury report Thursday night that listed the three-time All-Star as probable for the Bucks’ Friday night game with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The 31-year-old Middleton hasn’t played since spraining the medial collateral ligament in his left knee in Game 2 of the Bucks’ first-round playoff series with the Chicago Bulls. The injury caused him to miss the remainder of that series and all of the Bucks’ Eastern Conference semifinal seven-game loss to the Boston Celtics.

He underwent surgery on his left wrist last summer and has been recovering from that injury ever since.

Middleton earned his third All-Star selection last season and averaged 20.1 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.4 assists.

The Bucks have a 15-5 record in Middleton’s absence and are second in the Eastern Conference, two games behind the Celtics.

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