Rivers confident Middleton will be ready for Bucks' opening game

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers believes forward Khris Middleton will be ready for the team's season-opening contest against the Philadelphia 76ers on Oct. 23, according to The Athletic's Eric Nehm.

"I do," Rivers said when asked if Middleton would be ready for Game 1 of the season, per Nehm. "But I was hoping for an exhibition game, so I never say 100% to any of this because the guys - all of our guys - have to feel right."

Rivers added that he remains hopeful Middleton will be available for Milwaukee's final preseason contest against the Dallas Mavericks, which is scheduled for Thursday.

Middleton had arthroscopic surgeries on both ankles in July and has still not participated in five-on-five workouts during practices.

Middleton struggled to stay on the court over the previous two seasons and only appeared in a total of 88 games. He underwent right knee surgery during the 2023 offseason and was on a minutes restriction for the beginning of the 2023-24 campaign. While he missed the final 16 games of the season with an ankle injury, he managed to play in all six of the Bucks' postseason matches against the Indiana Pacers and averaged 24.7 points while shooting 48.2% from the field and 35.5% from deep.

"Having a successful season out there is playing damn near 82 games," Middleton told reporters during Milwaukee's training camp. per Nehm. "Understanding that there may be a couple games where you can't go because you got kneed to the thigh or something like a bad ankle sprain. ... Anything below 70, 75 games - no, I do not consider that a successful season for me."

The Bucks lost both of their 2024 preseason contests so far and will take on the Chicago Bulls on Monday.