Milwaukee Bucks 2018-19 Season Review: Pat Connaughton
By Adam McGee
Game of the season
The Bucks had great contributions from the second unit throughout the season, but the start of the playoffs certainly led to an uptick from that group.
In particular, the first round sweep of the Pistons saw the “bench mob” mentality come to the fore, and in Game 2 of that series, Pat Connaughton staked his claim as one of that group’s true leaders.
A solid performance in Game 1 added to a strong finish to the season, which cemented Connaughton’s place in Mike Budenholzer’s playoff rotation. Still, in Game 2, the Notre Dame alum took full advantage of that opportunity and made his claim for an even bigger role moving forward.
Connaughton logged over 30 minutes of action, and ensured the Pistons felt his presence all over the floor. The 26-year-old’s high energy is a constant, but on this occasion he managed to channel it in all of the best possible ways.
Connaughton found his shooting groove as he scored 18 points on 8-of-10 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep. He also left a meaningful imprint on the game with his defense, in the form of an incredible nine defensive boards and four blocks. Three assists thrown in for good measure provided the cherry on top.
There were other strong games from Connaughton throughout the season, but this one was undoubtedly the pick of the bunch.