The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the best teams in the NBA, and it isn't only because of Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and a few more players. They have a number of unsung heroes in the form of role players who have fully embraced their jobs and gone above and beyond to assist this Bucks team to win games.
Every NBA team needs players who are willing to do the small things to help them win in ways other than scoring the basketball, which the Bucks have plenty of.
Let's take a look at the Milwaukee Bucks' three biggest unsung heroes in 2022.
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Bucks Unsung Heroes
3. Pat Connaughton
Earlier in last season, there were a few fans who believed Pat Connaughton was not the proper fit for this team and wondered why he was still on the roster. Many people were unhappy with the deal he received, but if his performance this season and last year is any indication, he deserves every penny of it and then some.
Every championship team needs a player like him, and Connaughton was a big reason why the Bucks were able to win last season. He can make clutch shots and stretch the floor at an elite level, but he also plays hard defense and performs the dirty work for this Bucks squad. He's basically everything a championship team would want and the Bucks are fortunate to have him. He'll risk his body to make a play, and he'll do all he can to help this team win a game.
Connaughton is having another fantastic season, averaging 10.4 points per game, which is a career-best, while shooting 40 percent from 3-point range on over six tries per game. He plays his hardest and does everything he can on both sides of the ball wherever the Bucks decide to put him. He's one of Giannis', Middletons', and Holidays favorite targets, and he's a huge reason why the Bucks' offense can be so overpowering at times.
Connaughton is one of those players that goes out and does everything the proper way when it comes to basketball. He's really improved his game in Milwaukee over the last several seasons, and if he can keep it up, he'll receive another deal comparable to what he got a few years ago.
2. Wesley Matthews
Wesley Matthews was acquired by the Milwaukee Bucks in the middle of the season. Once again, the Bucks made a questionable move at the time because, as we saw with the Los Angeles Lakers last year, he didn't appear to have much left in the tank. That might be due to the Lakers' unique style of play and the fact that they weren't properly utilizing him.
In the 2019-2020 season, he spent a year time with the Milwaukee Bucks, where he was a key part of the team's ability to finish with the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
He has shot 40 percent from 3-point range on roughly four tries per game this season, which is precisely what this Bucks team needed. Not only does he have a fantastic three-point shooting percentage, but he also plays very good defense and has done a wonderful job against elite scorers in his first 20 games with the Bucks.
After playing a similar position to Matthews a year earlier, Milwaukee decided not to bring back PJ Tucker, which was a controversial choice from the front office and one that did not make fans pleased. If Matthews can continue to play defense at this high of a level, they may have found a guy who can not only replace, but also outperform Tucker. When PJ Tucker was on this Bucks team a year ago, he wasn't a terrific shooter, and with the way Matthews is shooting and playing defense right now, he may be considered an upgrade.
3. Bobby Portis
What else needs to be said about Bobby Portis and Bucks fans?
This season, he took a huge discount on his deal and has been performing like the underdog and underrated player that he is, once again. When he first came into Milwaukee a season ago, he quickly became a fan favorite because he embodies the Milwaukee mentality and gives the fans exactly what they want.
This season, he's averaging 15.2 points per game, 9.4 rebounds, has improved defensively, and is shooting 42 percent on 4.5 3-point attempts per game.
Bobby Portis is one of the Bucks' most important players, and he is a significant reason why they have had so much success since he joined the team. He's one of those players that Milwaukee will hope to have on their team for the next ten years because he brings an attitude that no one else in the NBA can match.
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