Khris Middleton is now listed as doubtful to play in the NBA Cup final between the Bucks and Thunder tonight due to an illness, ESPN’s Jamal Collier tweets . Middleton had been listed as probable on Monday. Middleton has only appeared in four games this season after undergoing surgery on both ankles during the offseason.
We have more from the Eastern Conference:
- Pacers guard Ben Sheppard , who has missed the last 14 games with a strained left oblique, participated in a live practice on Tuesday, Dustin Dopirak of the Indianapolis Star reports. Coach Rick Carlisle remains uncertain when Sheppard will return to action, though it could happen soon. “He’s making progress,” Carlisle said. “(He’ll be back) sometime in the not-too-distant future, we hope. He went through some things. He’s been doing some contact work. He’s getting closer and he’s been able to do things without any setbacks to this point. We won’t know about today until tomorrow.” Forward Aaron Nesmith , who has been out since Nov. 1 with a left ankle sprain, is also making progress but has not returned to live action, Dopirak adds.
- Pistons second-year forward Ausar Thompson on Monday delivered his finest performance of the season, supplying 19 points, nine rebounds, four steals and a block in 27 minutes during the club’s overtime win against Miami. Thompson, who started in place of injured Tobias Harris , seems to be rounding into form after being medically cleared from a blood clotting issue and making his season debut on Nov. 25. “I thought he was really good on both ends of the floor and I think there’s more to come,” coach J.B. Bickerstaff told Omari Sankofa of the Detroit Free Press .
- Magic guard Gary Harris participated in practice Tuesday, according to Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel . The veteran guard has missed the last nine games with a left hamstring strain. “We’ll see how he responds, but as of right now just watching him walk off the court he looks OK,” coach Jamahl Mosley said.