Milwaukee Bucks: 3 players angling towards big roles in the postseason

Pat Connaughton will receive decent playoff minutes for the Milwaukee Bucks

Having joined the Bucks the same season that Budenholzer arrived in Milwaukee, Pat Connaughton has carved out a nice role for himself from the beginning.

That includes in the postseason as the guard has played key minutes for the team by averaging 19.8 minutes across 25 games. While he has not exactly made the strongest impression during the past two trips to the playoffs, he will see a prominent role with the team in all likelihood for the third consecutive season.

Thankfully, this has been Connaughton’s best season with the Bucks, as he has looked more comfortable than ever this season. The guard’s top-tier play has earned him the most minutes per game among Milwaukee’s reserves, and that could potentially carry over into the postseason.

While Connaughton cannot shoot the lights out to the same degree as Forbes, he has been knocking down his shots from the perimeter at a career-high rate. Furthermore, he will give them a much more serviceable defender than Forbes, who will be targeted if he sticks on the floor in big moments.

Connaughton showcased just how much of an X-factor he can be off the bench in Milwaukee’s 135-134 win over the Washington Wizards Wednesday night. Playing 31-and-a-half minutes, the swingman was fantastic as he finished with 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting, including 4-of-8 from behind the arc. That high-octane scoring could make all the difference in the playoffs, particularly with the minutes he is expected to receive.