MILWAUKEE — Khris Middleton left the Milwaukee Bucks‘ game against the New York Knicks on Sunday after getting hit in the mouth midway through the second quarter.
Middleton fell to the floor after New York’s Donte DiVincenzo inadvertently hit him in the face. As Middleton was lying on his stomach, Knicks center Isaiah Hartenstein fell after hitting a shot and landed on the Bucks forward’s back.
The three-time All-Star motioned for help from the Bucks’ staff and then headed to the locker room with blood coming from his mouth. Later in the second quarter, the Bucks announced that Middleton wouldn’t return to the game because of mouth trauma.
Middleton’s injury came the same night that two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo returned after missing a 117-111 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Friday because of an issue with his left hamstring.
This marked just the fourth time in the past 29 games that the Bucks’ top three players — Antetokounmpo, Middleton and seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard — were all available.