1 Prominent question looms large after Bucks' win over Wizards

It is now six straight wins for the Milwaukee Bucks following their convincing 124-114 victory over the Washington Wizards.

After a long period of rest, the Bucks continued their run and have won eight of their last nine games. They are currently sixth in the Eastern Conference and just one game behind the fourth seed.

Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to the lineup having missed the game against the Miami Heat in the week, and that rest worked perfectly. The Greek Freak ended the game with his first career 40-point triple-double, adding 12 rebounds and 11 assists to the 42 points he scored. Damian Lillard is rolling, too, as he added 25 points, 10 assists and three steals.

That duo made history, making it their third game with 25-plus points and 10-plus assists each, the most in NBA history by any duo.

The Milwaukee Bucks are rolling, but there is still one prominent question looming over the team as we enter December.

Was that the last Milwaukee Bucks game without Khris Middleton?

Three-time All-Star Khris Middleton is still yet to make his season debut following his offseason surgery on both ankles, but all signs point towards it potentially happening on Tuesday against the Detroit Pistons. ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania hinted at the return being soon, with Middleton completing 5-on-5 scrimmages and being cleared to return post-Thanksgiving.

Medically, he is cleared to play; the Bucks are just waiting for Middleton to feel comfortable enough to step back into the rotation. The win streak and performances have allowed the Bucks to take their time with the wing, and he can slowly be implemented back into the lineup as they look to extend this great run of performances.

Doc Rivers will want to have Middleton fully integrated with plenty of time before the postseason, but it is also key to not rush him. Andre Jackson Jr. has slotted into the two-guard spot nicely, with Taurean Prince really holding down the small forward position, hitting 54.2 percent of his shots from three. AJ Green has been spectacular with his shooting and has become one of the most integral players for the Milwaukee Bucks.

The role players stepping up has, of course, aided the Bucks, but it will be interesting to see who may find their minutes dipping with Middleton returning. Pat Connaughton has found himself completely out of the lineup, with Jackson and Green averaging around 20 minutes per game. Gary Trent Jr. is now a flamethrower off the bench, averaging 25 minutes per game.

It is likely that those three, along with Prince, may see a decrease in minutes with the hope for Middleton to get back into the starting lineup and play his usual 35 minutes we have seen over a number of seasons.

During the 2023-24 playoffs, Middleton averaged 24.7 points, 9.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists on great shooting splits of .482/.355/.900. Of course, that was without Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Damian Lillard missed time, too, so Middleton may be slow at first but will slowly find his groove again.

With another couple of days until the Bucks head to Detroit, this should allow Middleton to keep practicing and getting with the game plan. He is unlikely to start and won't play too many minutes, but it is a huge bonus to have someone of that caliber returning whilst the Bucks continue rolling. All eyes will be on Milwaukee's injury report for Tuesday.

Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks news and analysis.