The Milwaukee Bucks have 15 more regular season games left to play before the NBA Playoffs.
As things stand, the Bucks are in a great spot. They sit at 48-19 overall, giving them the top spot in the Eastern Conference and the best record in the NBA. Despite dealing with countless injuries this season, they have battled through adversity and have a chance to finish the regular season as the East’s top seed for the first time since 2020. Yet, it feels like the Bucks still have an extra gear they can get into down the stretch. To do so, they will need more from several major players, and here are three of them.
3 Milwaukee Bucks who have more to give down the stretch – Pat Connaughton
It’s been an incredibly tough year for Pat Connaughton, who started the season sidelined due to a calf injury. Since taking the floor in late November, Connaughton has not been able to shake off his rust and has struggled to find his footing this season.
On the year, Connaughton is averaging 8.1 points per game, which is the second most of his NBA career. However, he’s shooting just 38.7 percent from the field, which is the second-worst mark of his career, and 34.3 percent from three, which is his lowest since 2019-20. Connaughton, who has become an ever-reliable shooter over the past two seasons, has shot above 33.3 percent from the perimeter in just one month this season.
The Bucks desperately need him to regain that shooting stroke of his, as Connaughton has proven he can be a reliable role player on a title team when his shot is falling. After all, this is a player who hit the second-most 3-pointers in the 2021 NBA Finals. Connaughton certainly has the ability to shake off this slump, and doing so before the postseason would be a tremendous boost for a unit looking for more outside shooting.
A late-season turnaround from Connaughton could have a major impact on the Bucks’ bench unit.