Tag: irish in the NBA

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: March 29-April 4

Pat’s had better weeks this season, but he’s also had worse.

Pat Connaughton had a very average week as March rolled into April. Whether that can be blamed on the Milwaukee Bucks’ ongoing Western road trip isn’t clear. Still, he had a decent beginning to this stretch March 29 against the Los Angeles Clippers, scoring five points and grabbing seven rebounds in almost 31 minutes. When the Bucks stayed in LA to play the Lakers two nights later, Connaughton had five points and rebounds apiece.

The Bucks traveled north to play the Portland Trail Blazers on April 2, and Connaughton totaled four points and six rebounds on a night in which he missed all five 3-point attempts. With Milwaukee playing the second of a back-to-back against the Sacramento Kings, Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out with left knee soreness, giving Connaughton his second start of the season under the exact same circumstance. He improved with a nine-point, six-rebound game but came up empty again from 3-point range on three tries. That finished a week in which averaged 5.8 points and 6.0 rebounds a game while shooting 39.1 percent from the floor.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: March 22-29

The injury bug hitting the Milwaukee Bucks meant more opportunities for Pat Connauhgton over the past week.

The injury bug hitting the Milwaukee Bucks meant more opportunities for Pat Connauhgton over the past week. With Giannis Antetokounmpo out March 22 against the Indiana Pacers, Connaughton was given his first start of the season. He made the most of it by tying his season high with 20 points, including six 3-pointers, and finishing one rebound shy of a double-double in a game-high 33 minutes. It easily was his best game of the season.

Connaughton returned to the second unit March 24 against the Boston Celtics and came back to earth with five points and six rebounds. The Bucks faced the Celtics again two nights later, and despite a 1-for-7 shooting performance for only six points, his 11 rebounds were one off his season high. With the Bucks missing four starters when they faced the New York Knicks on March 27, Connaughton had to put in heavy duty again. He had a much better game, scoring 12 points, including three 3-pointers.

There’s little argument that this past week was Connaughton’s best of the season. He averaged 10.8 points and 7.5 rebounds over 29.3 minutes a game. He shot 48.3 percent from the field, including 11 of 20 from beyond the arc. The question is how long this impressive stretch will continue.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: March 15-21

Pat Connaughton started got off to an unremarkable start to the past week but slowly got better.

Pat Connaughton started got off to an unremarkable start to the past week but slowly got better. He was held to a single field goal March 15 against the Washington Wizards. Despite barely registering in that night’s box score, Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer had enough confidence in Connaughton to play him a season-high 34 minutes March 17 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Connaughton rewarded Budenholzer’s faith by tying his career high with 12 rebounds, recording two steals and scoring six points, two of them coming on his first free throws of the month.

Connaughton reached back into his 3-point arsenal for the Bucks’ March 20 meeting with the San Antonio Spurs, hitting three of his six attempts from there. That led to a final line of 11 points to go with six rebounds. The gradual improvement as the games went on led to 6.3 points and 6.3 rebounds a game for the week. During that time, he shot 53.8 percent from the field.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: Feb. 22-28

The Milwaukee Bucks went undefeated over the past week to tie their longest winning streak of the season at five.

The Milwaukee Bucks went undefeated over the past week to tie their longest winning streak of the season at five. However, despite playing no fewer than 26 minutes in each game, Pat Connaughton had to settle for an average week. That’s a disappointing follow-up to a week in which he scored in double figures twice.

On Feb. 23 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Connaughton was 1 of 5 from the field with one 3-pointer but also had six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block. Two nights later, he had a mixed bag against the New Orleans Pelicans with eight points on 3-of-4 shooting to go with a season-high three turnovers and committing four fouls for the second time this year. During a Feb. 28 matinee, he played the Los Angeles Clippers more consistently across the board, scoring seven points and grabbing eight rebounds.

For the week, Connaughton averaged 6.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists a game. He also shot 42.9 percent from the field, including 4 of 10 from 3-point range. He has two games to take some momentum into the All-Star break. With the increase in playing time he’s been getting lately, that means more chances to be more productive.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: Feb. 15-21

Pat Connaughton came alive with perhaps his best week of the season over the past seven days.

Pat Connaughton came alive with perhaps his best week of the season over the past seven days. It began Tuesday when the Milwaukee Bucks began a back-to-back against the Toronto Raptors. Connaughton hasn’t had a better game this season; in a season-high 31 minutes, he had 20 points on 8-of-15 shooting in his best scoring performance since coming to the Bucks and tied his career high with three blocks. However, it wasn’t enough to prevent a Raptors win.

The Raptors won again Thursday, and Connaughton took a step back with seven points in 29 minutes. He was even quieter Friday when the Bucks beat the Oklahoma City Thunder, managing only a pair of 3-pointers. Sunday’s win over the Sacramento Kings saw him go back in the right direction to the tune of 12 points and six rebounds. He also was a career-best 5 for 5 from the free-throw line.

With games like that, you would think the weekly line would be terrific, and you would be right. Over the past four games, Connaughton averaged 11.3 points and 4.8 rebounds a game. He shot 51.7 percent (15 of 29) from the field, including 8 of 19 from 3-point range, and made all seven of his free throws. If this week doesn’t cause a significant turn in Connaughton’s season, nothing will.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: Feb. 8-14

It was a disappointing week for the Milwaukee Bucks and also one Pat Connaughton would mostly like to forget.

It was a disappointing week for the Milwaukee Bucks and also one Pat Connaughton would mostly like to forget. The Bucks played four road games against Western Conference opponents and lost the last three of them. Connaughton’s performances reflected that.

Things started well enough with a 13-point win over the Denver Nuggets, during which Connaughton made one 3-pointer and split a pair of free throws for four points to go with two rebounds, an assist and a block. Against the Phoenix Suns, he was held scoreless for the third time this season, with two of his three field-goal attempts coming from beyond the arc. He played nearly 29 minutes against the Utah Jazz and fared a little better with one field goal, three assists and a career-high four steals. During a Valentine’s Day visit to the Oklahoma City Thunder, he shot 3 of 8 from the field for seven points and tied his season high with seven rebounds.

Over the course of the week, Connaughton averaged 3.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 1.5 steals a game. He shot 5 for 16 from the field (31.3 percent). February has not been very kind to him, but there’s time to make that up. An unprecedented eight-game homestand for the Bucks only can help that cause.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: Feb. 1-7

For the first week of February, Pat Connaughton had four opportunities to contribute for the Milwaukee Bucks, who won every game.

For the first week of February, Pat Connaughton had four opportunities to contribute for the Milwaukee Bucks, who won every game. He began with a seven-point, four-rebound performance Feb. 1 against the Portland Trail Blazers. He followed that up two nights later against the Indiana Pacers with only a single 3-pointer on 1-of-5 shooting in 10 minutes.

When the Bucks visited the Cleveland Cavaliers for a back-to-back, Connaughton had a poor start but a nice recovery. Despite playing a week-high 18 minutes in the first game, he had arguably his least productive game of the season, missing three field-goal attempts and two free throws and having to settle for a pair of rebounds and assists apiece. The next night, he scored six points on 3-of-4 shooting, had three rebounds and dished out two assists.

While Connaughton is relying less on the 3-pointer, it doesn’t seem to be working right now. He shot 7 of 19 (36.8 percent) from the field during the week and was only 2 of 11 behind the arc. During the week, he averaged 4.0 points, 2.5 rebounds and 1.3 assists a game. It was a disappointing stretch for sure, but he’ll get four more chances this week as the Bucks embark on a Western road trip.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: Jan. 25-31

Over the past week, Pat Connaughton had one of his worst games of the season, but also his best.

Over the past week, Pat Connaughton had one of his worst games of the season, but also his best. That’s what’s funny about the NBA. Things can go poorly one night, and that’s soon followed by a fine game.

Ironically, Connaughton’s worst game came during the Milwaukee Bucks’ only win of the week, which spanned a three-game road trip. Against the Toronto Raptors, he scored only two points and grabbed three rebounds while going 0 for 3 from 3-point range for the third time in five games. He fared better against the New Orleans Pelicans in the first of a back-to-back, giving a line of nine points, seven rebounds and three assists. The Bucks visited the Charlotte Hornets next, and his 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting from 3 were his high for the season, as were his 29 minutes played.

Connaughton wrapped up January with a stretch in which he averaged 8.7 points and 5.3 rebounds a game. He shot 55.6 percent from the floor, including 6 of 13 from beyond the arc. Though he continues to get virtually all of his points from up and close and from downtown, he did make a 7-footer on the left side of the paint. Maybe that will encourage him to spread his game out a little more.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: Jan. 18-24

Pat Connaughton had a decent start to last week, but he regressed as the games went on.

Pat Connaughton had a decent start to last week, but he regressed as the games went on. It began when he hit three 3-pointers in the Milwaukee Bucks’ two-point loss to the Brooklyn Nets. Those 3s came from right down the middle and then slightly off to the left of there. The nine-point, six-rebound performance was a good beginning.

Three nights later, in another loss the Los Angeles Lakers, Connaughton logged his highest playing time of the season at 23 minutes, 50 seconds. Though he had little to show for it scoring-wise with only one field goal, he attempted – and made – his first two free throws in nearly three weeks en route to four points, five rebounds and three assists. The Bucks bounced back another three nights later by blowing out the Atlanta Hawks, but Connaughton had only two points and four rebounds (three offensive) while missing all three of his 3-point attempts. It all added up to a week in which he averaged 5.0 points and 5.0 rebounds on 38.5 percent shooting from the field.

Pat Connaughton NBA Tracker: Jan. 11-17

After missing most of the previous week with an injury, Pat Connaughton got back at it over the Milwaukee Bucks’ next three games.

After missing most of the previous week with an injury, Pat Connaughton got back at it over the Milwaukee Bucks’ next three games. This stretch began Jan. 11 against the Orlando Magic with a pair of layups and one 3-pointer en route to seven points, four rebounds and season highs of two steals and two blocks apiece. The offense picked up a bit Jan. 13 with three 3-pointers against the Detroit Pistons. On Jan. 15, the Dallas Mavericks held him scoreless for the first time this season, but he grabbed six rebounds, had two steals again and dished out a season-high five assists.

For the week, Connaughton averaged 5.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.7 steals while shooting 42.9 percent from the field. All the while, the Bucks ran their season-high winning streak to four. And while the season might be close to a month old, the hope remains that he can contribute more than layups and 3s, even though recent history suggests that’s not happening anytime soon.