Milwaukee Bucks: 3 X-factors for playoff series with Brooklyn Nets
By Dalton Sell
After a week off, the Milwaukee Bucks will finally resume action today as they are set to take on the Brooklyn Nets in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Given the personnel on either side of the basketball, this matchup has been one of the most talked about since it was officially announced. Both teams boast highly star-studded rosters from top to bottom, and many onlookers have already pegged the potential winner of this matchup as the team likeliest to hoist the Larry O’Brien down the road.
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Staying focused solely on this matchup, there will be no shortage of fireworks on display from the opening tip. The Nets have one of the best trios formed in NBA history, while the Bucks have a solid trio of their own that is looking to make some noise in these playoffs.
If they will emerge victorious in this series, it will take an all-around effort from this reformed roster. With that being said, here are three specific X-factors for the Bucks heading into this series.
Pat Connaughton will be an X-factor for the Milwaukee Bucks against the Brooklyn Nets
Barring a lineup change from head coach Mike Budenholzer, Pat Connaughton will likely get the nod at starting shooting guard for the Bucks to open this series.
Connaughton started in Milwaukee’s Game 4 finale last round following the injury to typical starter Donte DiVincenzo. With the 23-year-old set to miss the remainder of the playoffs with a torn ligament in his ankle, it seems feasible to believe Connaughton will be the next man up moving forward, and it will be a tall order for him in this series.
Of course, the Nets have a lethal two-headed monster in their backcourt with Kyrie Irving and James Harden, two of the most gifted scorers in the association today. While starting point guard Jrue Holiday will take one of the two, Connaughton will likely be left to fend for himself against the other on multiple occasions. Just how well that defense from the swingman holds up will be a pivotal factor in this series. While he will certainly not lock down either of the All-Star guards, he could give a valiant effort to slow them down.
Simultaneously, the Bucks will need the guard to knock down his shots on the opposite end of the floor. Connaughton made good in the regular season by shooting 37.1 points on a career-high 3.9 attempts per game and the team will need that success to be consistent on the big stage. The guard proved to be a reliable floor spacing against the Heat but his importance will only be heightened in round two.
If Connaughton can play some stout defense and knock down his shots from the perimeter, particularly if he finds himself in the starting lineup, it would be a massive boost for Milwaukee.