Milwaukee Bucks: 5 takeaways from 2017-18 NBA season

3. Khris Middleton is underrated, but limited

Khris Middleton missed much of the 2016-17 season with a hamstring injury, returning halfway through the season to help propel the Bucks into the postseason. He continued to build that momentum this past year, playing in all 82 games and setting career-highs in both usage rate and efficiency. He was perhaps the least-heralded 20 points per game scorer in the NBA this season.

If casual fans didn’t know who he was prior to the postseason, they certainly do know. He kicked things off with a bang in Game 1 of their first round series, nailing an unlikely buzzer-beater to force overtime against the Boston Celtics.

Middleton was seemingly unconscious, hitting mid-range jumper after mid-range jumper. No matter who Boston put on him, he rose up and shot over them. He shot 67-for-112 from the field (59.8 percent) and 25-for-41 from distance (61 percent) for the series.

The problem with Middleton is miscasting him into roles he is not going to fill well. Middleton is not a power forward; his thin frame puts him at a disadvantage over all but the slimmest small-ball 4s. Originally a 2, Middleton can be shrewdly deployed at the 3 — but not the 4.

Middleton is also not an offensive playmaker, someone who can run a second unit and get everyone involved. He is a wingman, someone who plays well off of Antetokounmpo and can score against switches and matchup advantages. Milwaukee must recognize what it has, and not push something great to be something it is not.