After a miserable Game 2 against the Bulls, the Bucks' Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton came through in a big way

CHICAGO – We could put this nicely, but let’s just put this honestly and move on.

The Milwaukee bench struggled in the Game 2 loss in Fiserv Forum. Practically ghosts in every meaningful category, and understandably discombobulated after injuries to Bobby Portis in the second quarter and Khris Middleton in the fourth, the Bucks’ supporting cast did nothing and had to accept a share of the responsibility for the loss to Chicago.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer will tell you that playoff games are just hard to win, and that’s true of course.

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will tell you that he has faith in his mates, and it’s pretty easy to take him at his word.

But two days later and now south of the rival border, the bench came back to life in a whupping of the Bulls on Friday night in Game 3 of their first-round NBA playoff series, and moments after leading all scorers with 22 points, backup Bucks guard Grayson Allen admitted that some bad nights just happen. That some open looks were just missed.

But also this: It would have been human nature for the others to lose a little confidence in the subs. And yet …

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“The great thing is, even after … you know … I hadn't hit a three in the series yet, Pat Connaughton had missed a couple ... Giannis and Jrue Holiday were still throwing it to us,” said Allen. “So they still trust in us. That gives us that confidence.

“And we know they'll eventually go in. You can't just can't go 0 for every game.”

Allen was referring to being 0 for 2 from three-point range in both Games 1 and 2 with the Bulls. Connaughton was 1 for 6 in each of them.  It was ugly, but the Antetokounmpo- and Khris Middleton-led Bucks have been, for a long time now, a ride-or-die kind of team with everyone who wears the jersey. Games 1 and 2 were cringeworthy affairs.

Friday night was a Ferris Bueller ride in a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California Spyder.

Allen shot 8 for 12 including 5 of 7 from three, hauled in six defensive rebounds, had a steal and even sneaked up on forward Patrick Williams to block him.

But the best shot Allen took was 30 seconds after he blanked on his first. That first driving layup did not fall and it might have forced him to retreat and see if anyone else had a hot hand. But not in Chicago, not in Game 3. Undaunted, Allen kept looking for the shot and made a three-pointer after a simple pass and screen from Antetokounmpo.

Allen followed with another three after a drive and kick from Jevon Carter.

And then Allen scored on another three – his third in a minute – after another drive and kick from Antetokounmpo.

"He's a confident shooter. And the thing with Grayson, he's great off the bounce too,” said Budenholzer. “People underestimate how he can attack close-outs and drive it. It's good. We need that balance. We need some guys that can, on the backside, beat guys off the dribble.

“But the confidence-wise and conversation-wise, I mean of course I coach him and visit with him and things like that but really, I mean I these guys, I tell them all to shoot.”

Connaughton was back in Playoff Pat mode as well, with 11 points on 3 of 8 shooting, but let’s start with the four rebounds from the guard. That’s not a game changer but it does signify Milwaukee’s all-hands kind of mentality, and every extra possession counts.

“I always try to read the ball off the basket,” said Connaughton. “Some people block out and do things differently, but my dad always taught me growing up, like I'm going to read the ball and play the ball, trying to jump on it and sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.”

Twenty combined shots by Allen and Connaughton change how Chicago can play them on defense, but that’s a limited view of the bench’s best contributions.

“I feel more comfortable when I'm just getting in the flow of the game,” said Connaughton. “And for me that doesn't mean always putting up shots. It means defense, it means rebounding. Sometimes it's me driving to the basket, getting in the paint and passing to Bobby for our end-of-the-quarter three.”

Message Lori Nickel on Twitter at @LoriNickel, Instagram at @bylorinickel or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/ChinUpLoriNickel