MILWAUKEE — Ever for the reason that NBA launched its full regular-season schedule in August, Khris Middleton had been anticipating Wednesday’s evening’s season opener.
After 12 seasons and 735 video games with the Bucks — highlighted by profitable the 2021 NBA championship — Middleton performed his first recreation as a customer in Milwaukee, this time as a member of the Wizards in a 133-120 Washington loss.
A sold-out crowd at Fisrev Discussion board serenaded Middleton with a number of standing ovations all through the night. The primary got here when his title was introduced in pregame introductions. One other occurred when a tribute video performed on the scoreboard throughout a first-quarter timeout. And the final happened as Middleton checked out of the sport after scoring a team-high 23 factors.
“To get that kind of recognition, appreciation from the town, the group, I imply that meant the world to me,” Middleton stated.
“To get a standing ovation on the street doesn’t occur typically, so I wished to make it possible for they knew I acknowledge them. Though I actually don’t communicate an excessive amount of or do an excessive amount of, however that actually meant rather a lot. That’s each participant’s dream to get a standing ovation regardless of the place they’re at.”
Milwaukee dealt Middleton to the Wizards earlier than the commerce deadline in February as a part of a multiplayer deal that introduced Kyle Kuzma to Milwaukee.
In his return Wednesday evening, Middleton was greeted by the group mascot and band as he walked into the world earlier than the sport, and a number of other group staffers stopped him after it for greetings and photos. The video tribute in the course of the recreation lasted over a minute.
What was an emotional evening for Middleton was additionally described as a “bizarre” one for longtime teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 2 matched up towards one another a number of instances in the course of the recreation — a throwback to the 12 years they spent doing that in observe.
“Even once we grew to become All-Stars and champions, in the course of the summertime, enjoying our one-on-one battles,” Middleton stated. “We speak rather a lot. It’s all simply aggressive. We each wish to win, we each need the perfect out of one another.”
Within the second quarter, Middleton acquired one over on Antetokounmpo, stepping beneath the basket to attract a cost.
“I noticed his eyes gentle up when he noticed me beneath the rim,” Middleton stated with a smile. “So I knew both foul, take a cost to get out the best way … I’ve acquired worse hits from that man. That one was gentle.”
Earlier than the February commerce, Antetokounmpo by no means had performed an NBA recreation with out Middleton as a teammate.
“Clearly he had an ideal recreation, he nonetheless can hoop,” stated Antetokounmpo, who completed with 37 factors, 14 rebounds and 5 assists in 27 minutes. “He’s nonetheless a giant risk when he’s on the market on the court docket. He at all times performs that proper manner. Makes choice, makes his teammates higher defensively. He’s at all times going to be in the suitable place and typically going to place his physique with the road, take a cost. He’s at all times enjoying good.”
Though it was Middleton’s first time as a customer in Milwaukee for the reason that commerce, Antetokounmpo identified that this was their third assembly total, together with a matchup in D.C. a number of weeks after the deal and the 2019 World Cup.
“I acquired him,” Antetokounmpo stated. “Two-one, I’m up.”
Though the Bucks picked up the win Wednesday, they did lose level guard Kevin Porter Jr. within the first quarter to a sprained left ankle after he stepped on teammate Bobby Portis’ foot. Porter had 10 factors on 3-of-5 capturing earlier than the damage.
He’s scheduled to bear an MRI on Thursday.
“It didn’t look good,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers stated. “I’ll simply say that. Acquired to hope for the perfect, however taking a look at it, it was a reasonably unhealthy sprain.”