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Bucks Confident in Key Player’s Status vs Philadelphia 76ers

The Milwaukee Bucks seem confident in Khris Middleton's playing status against the 76ers.
Justin Grasso|
Oct 26, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) holds the ball away from Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Oct 26, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (22) holds the ball away from Philadelphia 76ers forward Tobias Harris (12) during the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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When the Philadelphia 76ers visited the Milwaukee Bucks earlier in the season, the Bucks didn’t have their standout forward Khris Middleton in the mix.

This time around, the Bucks hope the situation is different.

The Bucks can’t be so sure, though. When Milwaukee submitted its injury report for the matchup against the Sixers, Middleton was listed.

Heading into the game, the Bucks consider Middleton probable to play. Throughout the year, the Bucks have been managing Middleton’s ankle setbacks.

Over the 2024 offseason, Middleton underwent surgery on his ankles.

When the 2024-2025 NBA season tipped off, Middleton was not in the lineup for Milwaukee.

The former All-Star’s absence would last a large chunk of the season. He missed the Bucks’ first 21 games. On December 6, Middleton made his debut with the team, picking up a 23-minute shift against the Boston Celtics.

The Bucks would utilize Middleton off the bench for his first five games back. Then, he started for the next seven games.

After Middleton missed a game on January 6, the Bucks brought him back with a bench role. In Middleton’s last five games, he came off the bench. The Bucks lost just one game in that stretch of matchups.

In 17 games this year, Middleton has posted averages of 13 points, four rebounds, and five assists. He’s been knocking down 39 percent of his threes on four attempts per game.

On Sunday, the Bucks will be searching for their fourth win in a row. Meanwhile, the Sixers are looking to climb out of a five-game losing streak after coming up short against the Indiana Pacers on Saturday.

The Sixers and the Bucks are slated for a 7 PM ET tip-off.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Justin Grasso was a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s Philadelphia 76ers On SI Network. Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writers Association. Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoMedia Threads: @JGrassoMedia

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