Milwaukee Bucks: Grades from electric Game 3 win over Phoenix Suns

Milwaukee Bucks. PAT CONNAUGHTON. B+. Head coach Mike Budenholzer continues giving Pat Connaughton the most minutes in the second unit, and the guard keeps taking advantage of the opportunity. Playing 30 minutes in Game 3, Connaughton was efficient offensively by scoring eight points on 3-of-5 shooting, including knocking in two triples. In addition to that, he hauled in three rebounds and surprisingly dished out four assists, something he is not known for much as he is typically used as a shooter these days. Still, the team will take it as Connaughton continues giving them steady minutes off the bench, whether it be by knocking in some outside shots offensively or hustling around the court to stay with his man defensively.. SG

C. Milwaukee Bucks. BOBBY PORTIS. B. After seeing his minutes minimize drastically over the first two games against Phoenix, Bobby Portis earned himself an opportunity in Game 3. The big man’s scoring was not as prolific as he tallied 11 points on 11 shot attempts. However, what stood out from Portis was the energy he provided from the moment he checked in and how it translated onto the court. One instance included Portis snatching one of his four total offensive rebounds and getting fouled on the putback attempt, igniting the Fiserv Forum crowd as chants of his name filled the arena. Although the efficiency was not there offensively, it was a solid game for Portis as he reclaimed his spot in the rotation by hitting the floor for almost 18-and-a-half minutes.

D. Jeff Teague continues seeing meaningful time for the Bucks in this series, but he has yet to make the most of those minutes. He struggled mightily in Game 3 to create offense for himself, going scoreless across 13-and-a-half minutes as he missed all four of his shot attempts from the floor and a pair of free throws from the line. He would gather two rebounds and an assist, but what stood out the most was how he grabbed two steals, which helped the Bucks push the pace. The Bucks would certainly welcome any scoring contributions from Teague, but as evidenced by his performance in Game 3, he is still looking for his shooting stroke.. PG. Milwaukee Bucks. JEFF TEAGUE

Given how poorly he has played since playing the Miami Heat in round one, Bryn Forbes has practically lost his spot in the rotation to Teague. The guard saw the floor for just four minutes in Sunday’s Game 3, failing to score as he would miss both of his shot attempts from 3-point territory. Forbes has failed to replicate the 3-point prowess that he displayed early on in this playoff run, and it will likely continue to impact his playing time if he struggles to knock down those shots with any consistency whatsoever. When that outside shot is not falling, Forbes can often become a liability, and it appears that the team is ready to roll with a traditional point guard coming off the bench rather than Forbes at this point. Given everything he brings to the table on the offensive end, that is a letdown.. SG. Milwaukee Bucks. BRYN FORBES. D-