Bucks bring Middleton off the bench vs. Spurs on the minute mark

Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton came off the bench Wednesday night against the San Antonio Spurs, a move coach Doc Rivers said has more to do with his health and limited minutes after having bilateral ankle surgeries over the summer than his production on the track.

“It’s just not getting better to where he wants it or we want it, so we’ll just have to monitor,” Rivers said of Middleton’s health. “We’re cutting his minutes back a little bit and just trying to make sure he gets through this.”

Middleton, 33, missed the first 21 games of the season after offseason surgery on both ankles. He has played in 12 games and made his season debut in early December, but had been in the starting lineup for his last seven games before missing Monday’s game in Toronto with ankle tendinitis.

Taurean Prince took Middleton’s place in the starting line-up. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Andre Jackson Jr. were available after being listed on the injury report heading into the match.

Middleton is averaging 12.7 points, 5.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 23.8 minutes this season, but the Bucks haven’t found a consistent rhythm with him on the floor. Milwaukee is just 3-4 this season in games Middleton has started.

However, Rivers said he has had too small a sample to judge Middleton yet, especially while juggling limited playing time.

“The bottom line is just not moving every night like you want to,” Rivers said. “One night you see it’s moving great. One night he doesn’t. The minutes go up and down.

“It’s just—it’s a tough game for him.”