Milwaukee Bucks stock watch after NBA All-Star break: 3 Risers, 1 faller

Riser - AJ Green

Upon taking over as head coach, Doc Rivers said that one of Milwaukee's players would have to help the team. Understandably, many minds went to Andre Jackson Jr. or MarJon Beauchamp due to their athleticism, transition play and defensive potential. Yet, in an interesting twist, Rivers instead called upon AJ Green, the second-year, undrafted wing from Northern Iowa.

On paper, Green's stats over his last eight appearances following the All-Star break might not leap off the page. He's putting up 5.4 points, 1.6 rebounds and 0.8 assists while shooting 41.2 percent from the floor and 37 percent from the perimeter in 13.9 minutes per game. Yet, Green's impact in this run has gone beyond just the stat sheet.

His greatest attribute is his perimeter shot, but Green has also shown lately that he can play defense. At 6-foot-4, 200lbs, Green has a build that allows him to stick with guards of all shapes and sizes on that side of things. He's not an elite defender, but for a player whose biggest question mark coming into the league was defense, he's taken a big step forward.

The greatest example of what Green can bring came in Milwaukee's win over the 76ers in their most recent meeting. In 28 minutes, a career-high, Green scored 14 points on 4-of-8 shooting, but he also played some excellent defense on Philadelphia's Tyrese Maxey, who had been cooking the Bucks for most of the matchup. He didn't shut him down, but he made things as tough as possible.

With Khris Middleton returning to the fold, it's unclear what kind of role Green will play for the Bucks down the stretch, but there is no doubt that he has raised his stock higher.