His identify is Pat Connaughton and he won’t be forgotten.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ 10-year veteran who helped them win an NBA championship in 2021 — whereas incomes his Playoff Pat nickname — has spent most of this season out of the rotation and buried on the bench. But he by no means misplaced confidence.
“I believe my greatest basketball days are nonetheless in entrance of me,” Connaughton advised reporters in early January after a recreation in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets. “It doesn’t matter what’s taking place by means of the course of an NBA season, I do know issues can change at totally different instances. So that you all the time acquired to remain prepared.”
It took a meaningless recreation in opposition to the Detroit Pistons, the final common season tilt for each groups, on Sunday for him to show his level.
With each groups already locked into their playoffs seeding and resting their prime gamers, Connaughton acquired the beginning and went off for 44 factors, 11 rebounds and 5 assists on 55% capturing. Famous person teammates Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard cheered his exploits all through the sport from the bench. Followers rained down “MVP” chants on him as he helped shut out the 140-133 extra time win.
In a season the place Connaughton noticed the courtroom in solely half the workforce’s video games, he concluded with the most effective recreation of his NBA profession. In truth, he joins Bucks legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Khris Middleton and Antetokounmpo as the one gamers in franchise historical past to amass 40 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a recreation.
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What the sport means for the workforce’s Spherical 1 playoff matchup in opposition to the Indiana Pacers is to be decided. But it surely confirmed that the 32-year-old Connaughton nonetheless has scoring punch and will serve a spark plug function off the bench. Connaughton stated he is prepared for something, be it on courtroom or as a veteran voice on the bench.
“I’ve all the time been somebody who prides himself on attempting to influence profitable,” he stated. “From a job standpoint I attempt to management what I can management. Clearly there’s ebbs and flows to each NBA season. There’s instances the place you rating 43 factors, there’s instances when you do not play in any respect.”
Coach Doc Rivers stated the sport served as a reminder of Connaughton’s veteran management capabilities as he guided the workforce of kids down the stretch and into extra time. He additionally pressured the significance the sport served in serving to restore common starter Kyle Kuzma’s confidence after a hunch that has diminished his function of late. Kuzma poured in 22 factors within the first quarter alone earlier than sitting the remainder of the sport.
“That was intentional on our half, attempting to get him concerned in each single play and be aggressive,” Rivers stated. “In order that was good for him.”
If both veteran proves to be an X issue within the too-close-to-call collection in opposition to the rival Pacers, the Bucks might look again to the season’s final recreation as extra significant than it appeared on the time.