Milwaukee Bucks: Revisiting bold preseason predictions

Pat Connaughton

Preseason prediction: Will start at least 10 games for the Bucks

Verdict: Nope

In the preseason, I predicted that Connaughton would become a large part of the Bucks rotation, and in some ways I was right. Connaughton appeared in 60 games for the Bucks this season, averaging 20 minutes per game.

Really, where this prediction failed is I didn’t realize the depth the Bucks would have on their bench, and that the Bucks, for a majority of the season, would be one of the league’s healthiest teams.

With other guards like Hill, Brown, Snell and even DiVincenzo, the Bucks had a solid bench rotation along with Connaughton and their starting guards of Bledsoe and Brogdon barely missed any games before Brogdon’s late-season injury.

If the Bucks faced some more injuries to their starting backcourt, perhaps Connaughton would have had more opportunities to start as he’s shown to be one of the most reliable guards off the bench for Budenholzer, but alas, Connaughton’s role was almost exclusively off the bench.

Perhaps in the playoffs, we could see Budenholzer mix things up by going with Planet Pat as a starter. Or, should I say, Playoff Pat?

Running tally: 3/11, 1 push