Entering training camp and the NBA Preseason, it felt like Pat Connaughton, Andre Jackson Jr. and AJ Green were all auditioning for a bigger role with the Milwaukee Bucks.
In order of who was most likely to win, it felt like it would go Green, Jackson and then Connaughton. Doc Rivers raved about how good of a summer Green had, while Jackson, though unpolished, has a rare type of athleticism that this roster needs. Meanwhile, Connaughton, the veteran of this group, has regressed quite a bit over the past few years, so not many bettors wagered him winning this.
However, it appears Connaughton very well may be standing alone atop the mountain.
Pat Connaughton had a solid preseason for the Bucks
While many initially were not fond of seeing Connaughton step on the floor to begin the preseason, he quickly showed that he had something to give. The two-guard provided solid scoring, shooting, rebounding and facilitating, showing glimpses of the old Pat Connaughton. Meanwhile, despite the pair playing prominent minutes, both Jackson and Green struggled to get going in these matchups.
Milwaukee's final preseason contest against the Mavericks sums things up. In 15-and-a-half minutes, Connaughton finished with eight points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal while knocking down two of his four 3-point tries. He looked like the jack-of-all-trades reserve Milwaukee has been missing for these past two years.
The same impact was not there from the youngsters. Green had just three points on 1-of-5 shooting to go along with four fouls in 17 minutes - though he did have three assists. Jackson made some nice plays on defense, but he still finished with zero points, a turnover and a foul in 13 minutes. This type of production just won't cut it at the next level, and it has been constant throughout the preseason.
Ultimately, Green and Jackson are indeed both still young. Mistakes like this are going to happen, and perhaps they just are not ready for larger roles like fans had expected. Meanwhile, Connaughton has been there and helped this team win it all before. If he has indeed regained his old form, Connaughton will be a huge piece for the Milwaukee Bucks this coming season.
With a strong showing in the preseason, it won't be surprising if Connaughton is in the rotation over these two youngsters from day one.
Looking at the game as a whole, it wasn't pretty for the final three quarters, as the Bucks, who were resting most of their regulars, could not keep up. After a completive first quarter, Dallas pushed their lead to double-digits and never looked back, eventually securing a 109-84 win to send the Bucks to a 1-3 record in the preseason, which has now concluded.
After an up and down preseason slate, the Milwaukee Bucks are ready to begin the regular season on October 23.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.