The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the most well-rounded and deepest teams in the NBA, and Pat Connaughton has been showcasing this recently in increased minutes, providing an energetic spark off the bench.
The bench of the Milwaukee Bucks is full of energetic players, but Pat Connaughton is a name many outside of Milwaukee may be unfamiliar with. At least, they may have been until very recently. The guard is most famously known for his 44-inch vertical that allows him to throw down some highlight reel level dunks, but fans might not know much else about him.
Recently coming off a painful defeat in the NBA Dunk Contest, Connaughton is a name NBA fans are getting more acquainted with, and for all the right reasons. The guard brings a certain level of intensity every single time he steps onto the court and has been doing just that in his past several appearances.
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Connaughton has seen a significant increase in minutes lately and has been taking advantage of the opportunity. In his last 10 games, the guard has been averaging 19.2 minutes per game and putting up an efficient 4.6 points per game.
The guard’s points per game may not be the most eye-popping, but he is scoring them very efficiently. Shooting 52.8 percent from the field, and a sensational 44.4 percent from three-point territory, Connaughton has been providing a massive boost off the bench during that stretch.
The Milwaukee Bucks are 9-1 in these past ten games, and although it has by no means been solely because of Connaughton’s efforts, he has been much improved for them. The team is not going to depend on Pat to score double figures on a nightly basis, but to do what he can and provide a spark off the bench.
Compared to his regular-season stats, the guard has been much better in this recent stretch, particularly from behind the arc. Connecting on 32.2 percent of his shots from three-point territory in the regular season thus far, Connaughton’s recent run has been encouraging.
In his second season with the Milwaukee Bucks, the 27-year-old has become a treasured piece in this team’s rotation, and rightfully so. As soon as the guard comes in, all eyes switch to him, knowing he could make a highlight level play at any given time.
Pat is a player who can cause a momentum shift at any given time with a single play. Whether that be a massive putback dunk, tough three-point shot, or anything else in his lethal arsenal, Connaughton can do it all.
With championship aspirations in mind for this season, the Milwaukee Bucks are going to need everyone firing on all cylinders. The vast rotation the team is using now will likely tighten up once the postseason begins, and Connaughton has been proving he deserves a spot.
Whether the guard can sustain this high level of play or not remains up in the air right now, but his game looks promising. Set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, Connaughton has been playing like he wants to remain a member of the Bucks for the long run.