MILWAUKEE (AP) — Khris Middleton won’t play Sunday against the Atlanta Hawks as the Milwaukee Bucks monitor his workload in the three-time All-Star's return from offseason knee surgery.

Middleton played 16 minutes Thursday in the Bucks’ 118-117 season-opening victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said the team chose to rest him Sunday, the first of back-to-back nights in which the Bucks are playing.

Griffin said Middleton is expected to be available for Monday’s game with the Miami Heat.

“This is just being smart and ramping him up gradually,” Griffin said after the Bucks’ Saturday practice. “He participated in practice today and looked really good.”

Middleton appeared in just one of the Bucks’ preseason games. He started and had six points, four assists and three rebounds against the 76ers, though he played just four minutes in the second half and none at all in the fourth quarter.

Middleton played just 33 games last season, missing the first 20 games while recovering from wrist surgery and 18 straight games later on because of a sore right knee. He underwent surgery on the right knee after the season.

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