The biggest playoff X-factor for each Milwaukee Bucks key reserve
By Dalton Sell
George Hill’s 3-point shooting will be an X-factor for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Playoffs
Between dealing with injuries and his on-court struggles, it has been a tough year for George Hill in his return to Milwaukee. Yet, the Bucks will continue to roll with him as the backup point guard, and the one area he must focus on improving in the postseason is his perimeter shooting. Hill had a lackluster year with his 3-point shooting as he knocked down just 30.6 percent of his triples, his new career-low. This subpar shooting has hindered Hill’s production and made him a liability when he is on the floor, which could be worrisome in the postseason. If Hill plays these hefty minutes, the Bucks desperately need him to hit his outside shots with some level of consistency, given just how much they rely on that shot. If Hill can snap this season-long slump and find some semblance of a groove from deep, he could finally become the key contributor that the team envisioned when they brought him aboard in the offseason.
Pat Connaughton’s 3-point shooting will be an X-factor for the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Playoffs
Pat Connaughton played a crucial role throughout the Bucks’ title run last season, and he has been a key piece for them once again this season. While the guard has served as a Swiss Army Knife for the champs, his strongest contribution remains his stellar 3-point shooting. Before he suffered an unfortunate fractured hand back in February that sidelined him for a month, Connaughton was in a great rhythm from deep, but he had some trouble regaining his footing since returning, especially down the stretch. Over his final eight games of the regular season, Connaughton shot a grueling 10-of-39 (25.6 percent) from behind the arc, which was quite uncharacteristic. As evidenced by his 3-point shooting in last year’s NBA Finals, where he made the second-most threes out of all players, Connaughton can be a major contributor when that shot is falling. The guard must shake this shooting slump in the postseason, as his 3-point production could be a difference-maker on the offensive end, given how much playing time he will see.