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"He's getting closer" - Doc Rivers provides newest update on Khris Middleton's injury status

Khris has not played since February 6th.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

For the 14th straight game on Sunday, the Milwaukee Bucks played without Khris Middleton, and coach Doc Rivers announced that the veteran shooter is nearing return once again.

Khris' health status improving

Khris was out again in the Bucks' 124-117 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday, but Rivers disclosed that Middleton had a "great workout" on Saturday.

"Really good, looked great. So, he's getting closer," Rivers said before the Bucks played the Clippers.

Rivers has been saying that Khris was close to returning, but the missed All-Star forward games continued to pile up. Middleton has not played since suffering a sprained ankle in Milwaukee's 106-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns on February 6th. The 12-year veteran suffered the injury after landing on Kevin Durant's foot after taking a shot from deep.

A costly injury

Khris is itching to return to action but disclosed he is still dealing with some swelling on the injured foot. The Bucks have gone 9-5 since Middleton suffered the injury.

With Middleton's continued absence, the Bucks are missing a lot of production. Before Khris went down with the injury, he was averaging 14.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists. Khris is averaging just 26 minutes of playing time as he was placed under a minutes restriction after undergoing a knee procedure in the offseason.

The injury has also cost Middleton a hefty cash bonus. After missing his 13th game on Friday, Khris missed out on a $1.5 bonus. He needed to play at least 62 games this season to be eligible to receive the bonus.

Khris Middleton loses $1.5 million bonus after missing game vs. Lakers

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.