Milwaukee Bucks: What’s trending through the fourth week of the season

The Milwaukee Bucks’ second unit has been a rising trend.

Led by newcomers Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes as well as Pat Connaughton’s improved 3-point shooting, the Bucks have seen higher production and praiseworthy effort from their reshaped bench unit.

When the Bucks signed Portis, many fans questioned whether or not it was a signing that was going to have an impact that would help get the Bucks over the hump in the playoffs. Through the first 13 games of the season, the answer is apparent.

Portis’ highly efficient 20-point performance in the Bucks’ win over Orlando was highly impactful and his continued scoring boosts and presence on the glass has headlined Milwaukee’s second unit firepower.

Connaughton’s return from injury this week has helped the Bucks on both ends of the floor. While Connaughton doesn’t provide a ton of scoring off the bench, what he does bring is energy on the defensive end, especially around the three point line, hustle in transition and dogged determination in the rebounding department.

And now up to shooting 16-for-33 from 3-point range (48.5 percent) on the season, Connaughton seems to have finally made improvements to his shot that will help him space the floor. The fact that Connaughton has a 14-1 assist-to-turnover ratio has greatly improved his limited offensive role too.

As for Forbes, he’s given the Bucks’ bench the steady sharpshooter they need and that he has been throughout his five-year NBA career. With two straight double-digit outings against Orlando and Detroit, Forbes showed off his 3-point firepower and is now up to going 21-for-49 from the 3-point line.

Forbes’ shotmaking hasn’t been deterred by opposing defenders trying to close out on him. We’ve increasingly seen him take advantage of aggressive defenders and by showing off his pump fake, Forbes has dribbled into a wide-open shot that he has shown to make from mid-range.