Milwaukee Bucks all-star Khris Middleton speaks on ankle injury: ‘I need to be playing’
SAN FRANCISCO – Khris Middleton was in good spirits Wednesday night in the Milwaukee Bucks' locker room despite missing his 12th straight game due to an ankle sprain he suffered in the first quarter of a loss at Phoenix on Feb. 6.
Speaking for the first time since Suns forward Kevin Durant was assessed a flagrant foul for stepping into Middleton’s landing space following a jump shot, Middleton said, “I can’t think of an ankle sprain I’ve had this bad like this that I’ve had in the past.
“After it happened I tried to play, run it off a little bit, see if it was going to loosen up or whatever. Just didn’t. Didn’t feel comfortable. Went into the back, tried to get re-taped, and as soon as I took my shoe off it just blew up. So had to shut it down.”
The Bucks all-star forward acknowledged the rehabilitation process has taken longer than hoped but it hasn’t been a total surprise considering how severe the sprain was.
But he said he has seen improvement.
“I haven’t had setbacks, just taken a little bit maybe a day or two longer, a week or two longer or whatever, but it’s the position I’m in right now,” he said.
Middleton wouldn’t rule out playing on this road trip, however. Milwaukee plays the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday, the Clippers on Sunday and the Sacramento Kings on March 12.
Head coach Doc Rivers has said on several occasions since the all-star break that Middleton has been close to returning and has participated in some two-on-two and three-on-three court work, and Middleton agreed he’s been close to returning for about a week. He said the final obstacle has been some continued swelling.
“Just haven’t been able to get to that final step to get out there and play,” he said. “But I’ve been working hard. Been able to get on the court the last couple weeks but just haven’t been able to go 100%.”
Middleton began the year on a minute restriction following offseason knee surgery, but from Dec. 7-Feb. 3 he played 30 minutes per game in his 25 appearances and averaged 17.1 points, 5.8 assists and 4.4 rebounds. He played only three games under Rivers, however, and though the Bucks have been winning of late, Middleton knows he needs to play soon.
That said, he agreed with Rivers’ feeling that he may have to gradually ramp up his minutes from a conditioning standpoint. The Bucks have only 19 regular-season games left, with the finale coming in Orlando on April 14.
“I want to get back out there,” Middleton said. “I need to be playing. I’ve been on a minute restriction most of the year so at this point I just need to be on the court. So, I’m fighting every day that I can.”
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Bucks' Khris Middleton speaks on slow recovery from ankle injury
