Doc Rivers can understand if Khris Middleton frustrated amid slow recovery

MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton took part in practice with the Milwaukee Bucks early Wednesday as the veteran forward continued his recovery from offseason surgery on both ankles.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers said he could understand if Middleton was frustrated as he sat out his 21st straight game, this time against the Atlanta Hawks.

Rivers had said multiple times over the past few weeks that he and his staff thought the three-time All-Star was close to making his season debut. On Wednesday, he said the situation is probably wearing on Middleton mentally at this point.

“Anybody who wants to play, and Khris is one of those [guys], they’re frustrated,” Rivers said. “That’s mentally challenging. You see your team playing and although we’re playing well right now, I imagine when we were really struggling and he wasn’t playing that had to be really hard for him. You want to help your team, and he knows he can.”

The Bucks opened the season 2-8. Now they are on a seven-game winning streak and their record has improved to 11-9, good enough for fifth in the Eastern Conference.

Middleton participated in a 5-on-5 session Wednesday morning.

“If it felt right, he’d be playing, obviously,” Rivers said. “There’s no answer. He’s working his butt off and doing all the stuff he’s supposed to do. He’s just yet to get on the floor. We feel like that’s coming soon, and you’ve heard that before. We’re just hopeful it’s really soon.”

When healthy, the 33-year-old Middleton has shown the ability to be a key contributor, although injuries limited him to 55 games last season and 33 during the 2022-23 season.

Rivers said it was obvious Middleton, who has spent 11 of his 12-year NBA career with the Bucks and was a key cog on the 2020-21 team that won its first NBA title in 50 years, is itching to get back on the court.

“I don’t think this is an easy stretch for Khris by any means,” Rivers said. “I’d rather play in a game than in a group of five the morning of a game, I know that. I think this is hard.”