Pat Connaughton started the first week of his sixth NBA season fine, but he didn’t end it how he would have liked. In 23 minutes of the Milwaukee Bucks’ first game, a heartbreaking loss to the Boston Celtics, he shot 2 of 3 from 3-point range to give him his only six points of the game and his scoring high for the week. During the Bucks’ blowout win over the Golden State Warriors on Christmas, he grabbed seven rebounds and dished out two assists but scored only two points. He then missed all five 3-point attempts in a four-point, three-rebound performance as the New York Knicks dealt the Bucks a 20-point loss at Madison Square Garden.
Connaughton is averaging 4.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists while shooting 35.7 percent from the field on the young season. All of his baskets have come either very close to the rim or from straightaway 3-point range. He has attempted four 3-pointers from the right wing and three from the corner and always come up empty. Those are areas from which he has struggled to score over the past few years, so he’s better off going to his bread and butter of close shots.