Bucks Zone

“He's the ultimate pro”- Mike Budenholzer gives Pat Connaughton a pat on the back after superb Game 2 performance

Pat Connaughton was the Milwaukee Bucks’ surprise package in Game 2.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee Bucks

From DNP (did not play) to being the difference-maker real quick. That was the case for Pat Connaughton, who came up big in the Milwaukee Bucks' crucial 138-122 win over the Miami Heat in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series on Wednesday night.

It was a major turnaround for the eight-year pro, who did not play even for a single second when the Bucks dropped Game 1, 130-117.

Rising to the occasion

The Bucks went into Game 2 needing an additional body due to the unavailability of injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Connaughton got the playing time and made every minute count.

The 41st pick by the Brooklyn Nets in the 2015 draft, Connaughton had his best game in the playoffs when he scored 22 points on a 6-for-10 shooting night from the three-point area.

Connaughton also tallied four rebounds, three assists, one steal, and a block in 25 minutes of play coming off the bench. The Bucks had seven players scoring in double figures, led by the 25 of Brook Lopez.

The ultimate pro

Khris Middleton said the Bucks did it by committee in pulling off the series-tying win, but for coach, Mike Budenholzer, Connaughton was the difference-maker.

"He was a difference-maker. There's probably a lot of different makers for us tonight, but for PC to come in and give us that..the steal, the layup, all the threes, the hustle plays, the awareness defensively, he's kind of the ultimate teammate, the ultimate pro," said Budenholzer.

The Bucks ended the game with 35 assists, and they matched an NBA record for three-pointers in a game when they bombarded the Heat with 25 triples.

The contributions of Jrue Holiday (24 points and 11 assists), Middleton (16 points), Joe Ingles (17 points and five triples), and Bobby Portis Jr. (13 points and 15 rebounds) deserve to be commended too.

But in a game that Milwaukee badly needed to win, Connaughton was simply the team's surprise package. 

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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.