Bucks Zone

Jevon Carter or Jordan Nwora: Who will see increased minutes in Pat Connaughton’s absence to start the season?

Pat Connaughton will miss the first three weeks of the season.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Nick Wosika-USA TODAY Sports

In this story:

Milwaukee Bucks

The Athletics’ Shams Charania reported that Pat Connaughton will not be available to start the season. The Milwaukee Bucks guard will likely miss three weeks due to a right calf strain, which calls for some reshuffling of minutes within the roster.

Who can create offense?

With Connaughton on the sideline, the offense he usually creates will now be someone else’s job. Pat’s main role on the roster is that of a three-point specialist, and he’s made progress in that area over the years. Last season, he shot 39.5% from beyond the arc best average of his career (minimum 60 games).

Jevon Carter and Jordan Nwora are both candidates to fulfill the need, but Carter is marginally better. Although a small sample size, Carter shot 52.2% from the three-point line during preseason games. He made himself much more useful by dishing the rock to open teammates.

Defensive capabilities

While Carter has the edge on offense, Nwora’s size puts him in a better position to take on different defensive assignments. The 2022-23 season will be Jordan’s third season with the Milwaukee Bucks, and he’s been inspiring to say the least.

Nwora has a good grasp of the system and can turn on the intensity with his defensive prowess, complementing the team’s strengths. His shooting efficiency might be lower than Carter’s, but he’s shown the ability to get scoring when required. Jordan made his mark over the preseason games, averaging 12.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists.

With Carter and Nwora having impressed in the preseason games, their rotation will be based on what the team needs, especially for the start of the season with two starters in Connaughton and Middleton being out.

Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.