NBA: Bucks’ Middleton to miss rest of first round playoff series

Khris Middleton #22 of the Milwaukee Bucks is defended by Alex Caruso #6 of the Chicago Bulls in the second half of Game Two of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs at Fiserv Forum on April 20, 2022 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Stacy Revere/Getty Images/AFP 

Milwaukee star Khris Middleton will miss the rest of the Bucks’ NBA first-round playoff series against the Chicago Bulls with a sprained left knee ligament, the team said Thursday.

Middleton exited the Bucks’ 114-110 loss to Chicago on Wednesday in the fourth quarter.

The Bucks said in a statement on Thursday he underwent an MRI exam that showed a sprained left medial collateral ligament.

“Middleton will receive daily treatment and evaluation with the next status update coming in approximately two weeks,” the team said.

That would rule him out for the remainder of the best-of-seven series against the Bulls, which resumes on Friday in Chicago with the set knotted at one game apiece.

Middleton’s injury is a blow to the Bucks’ hopes of defending their NBA title. Even if they get past the Bulls it’s not yet clear if he’ll be back for the second round, which begins on May 3 at the latest.

Middleton had 18 points and eight assists before leaving Wednesday’s game.

“You could see that he was limping, limping and limping,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “You’re thinking, ‘I hope this is not bad. I hope this is not bad. I hope this is not bad.’

“We need this guy,” he said of Middleton, who averaged 20.1 points per game during the season.