3 takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ close win over Houston Rockets

The Milwaukee Bucks get impactful performances from Pat Connaughton and Wesley Matthews, but for different reasons

The Bucks have a collection of talented pieces on their roster, all of which can help the team in an array of different ways. Two players that stood out in that regard last night were Pat Connaughton and Wesley Matthews, who delivered solid performances off the bench in the victory.

As he has done consistently this season, Connaughton gave the Bucks an added scoring boost in the second unit. The guard chipped in 16 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including knocking down four of his five 3-point attempts. Hitting several big shots throughout the game, Connaughton helped keep the Bucks within striking distance when things started to look gloomy. While his scoring and shooting will earn the most praise, the veteran was active everywhere on the floor as he grabbed six rebounds, tallied three steals, and blocked two shots.

While Connaughton’s impact was written all over the stat sheet, Matthews did not contribute too much statistically as he chipped in two rebounds and two points. Instead, his contributions came with his hustle, toughness, and defensive excellence. Logging just under 18 minutes, the shooting guard made no shortage of hustle plays and displayed some grit when he took an elbow directly to the face from Wood, which resulted in an offensive foul on Houston. It was a big momentum play for the Bucks and one that helped them ultimately get this win. Matthews has only been back in Milwaukee for about a week, but the decision to bring him back already looks solid.

With players like Connaughton and Matthews checking in off the bench every night, the Bucks will remain in good hands. Whether they are making an impact off the stat sheet or on it, both players know how to leave their mark on a game for the Milwaukee Bucks.