After sitting out the Bucks’ first 21 games, Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said Middleton was frustrated about starting his season in December rather than October.

“Anyone who wants to play, and Khris is one of them, is frustrated,” Rivers said. “It’s a mental challenge. You see how your team is playing and although we are playing well at the moment, I can imagine that when we were really struggling and he wasn’t playing it must have been really difficult for him. You want to help your team and he knows he can.”

Middleton averaged 15.1 points per game on 49.3 percent field shooting in 55 games last season.

The Celtics will play the fourth of five games scheduled this week. The Celtics close out the week on Saturday at home against Memphis.

Forward Jayson Tatum, who was listed as questionable on Thursday against Milwaukee, was upgraded to available on Friday’s Celtics official injury report. Tatum missed Wednesday’s win over the Pistons because of right patella tendinopathy, and coach Joe Mazzulla said before Wednesday’s game that Tatum would likely miss only one game.

Guard Jrue Holiday has missed the last two games but is not listed on Friday’s injury report. Center Al Horford was listed as “available,” but center Kristaps Porzingis will miss Friday’s game for “injury management” reasons as he continues to recover from the ankle injury that required offseason surgery.

When: Friday, 7:30 p.m

Where: TD Garden, Boston

TV, radio: ESPN, NBCSB, WBZ-FM 98.5

BUCK

Season balance: 11-10. vs. distribution: 8-12, 1 push. Over/Under: 9-12

Last 10 games: 8-2. vs. distribution: 4-5, 1 push. Over/Under: 6-4

Celts

Season balance: 18-4. vs. distribution: 9-13. Over/Under: 11-10, 1 push

Last 10 games: 9-1. vs. distribution: 3-7. Over/Under: 6-4

TEAM STATISTICS

Points per game: Milwaukee 113.6, Boston 120.5

Points allowed per game: Milwaukee 112.5, Boston 110.2

Field goal percentage: Milwaukee .482, Boston .460

Opponent field goal percentage: Milwaukee .450, Boston .465

3-point percentage: Milwaukee .391, Boston .376

Opponent’s 3-point percentage: Milwaukee .363, Boston .353

Statistics of the day: In their last 10 meetings, the Celtics have a 7-3 record against the Bucks, dating back to Boston’s 109-81 loss in Game 7 in the 2022 Eastern Conference semifinals, featuring a 27-point performance from Grant Williams.

Notes: Friday’s game will be the teams’ third meeting this season. Boston won 119-108 at home on October 28th and prevailed 113-107 in Milwaukee on November 10th. … In Wednesday’s loss to the Hawks, Giannis Antetokounmpo finished the game with 31 points and 11 rebounds and Damian Lillard contributed 25 points. “We don’t like the feeling of losing,” Antetokounmpo said. “But now we just have to go back and watch the film and make our adjustments.”… Kristaps Porzingis finished with a season-high 26 points in Boston’s win over Detroit.

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Aiden Sprole can be reached at [email protected].