Mike Budenholzer was a person of few phrases earlier than Monday’s sport. The Phoenix Suns head coach is taking up the Milwaukee Bucks in all former territory.
When requested about teaching in opposition to his former staff, he had few phrases.
“It was an amazing 5 years.”
Mike Budenholzer had few phrases for @Amanda_Pflugrad when asking him about taking part in the Bucks tonight.
This marks the primary sport he’s coached in opposition to Milwaukee since he was fired after the 2023 season.#SunsUp pic.twitter.com/0dtvx3FMuf
— Hayden Cilley (@HaydenCilley) March 25, 2025
“I imply, it was an amazing 5 years,” Budenholzer mentioned. “However I believe proper now, earlier than the sport, I would fairly simply concentrate on Phoenix, concentrate on us. Get able to do our job tonight, and our gamers do not care, and I most likely should not both.”
Nonetheless, his time in Milwaukee got here to a screeching halt. After a first-round exit in opposition to the Miami Warmth, the Bucks fired Budenholzer. It was one which gamers did not agree with, particularly Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Both approach, the franchise made the choice it felt was finest. Quick ahead two seasons and Budenholzer grew to become the Suns head coach. Whereas the success hasn’t replicated, there have been flashes of potential contained in the 34-37 report.
The Large 3 of Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, and Devin Booker have regarded distinctive at factors. Concurrently, they’ve regarded incompetent at instances as nicely.
Among the rotations and lineup adjustments have been mind-boggling. Regardless of that although, Budenholzer proved that his offensive system nonetheless works.
Mike Budenholzer desires to concentrate on the Suns, not the Bucks
Teaching someplace for 5 years is an effective chunk of time in at this time’s NBA. Nonetheless, the Bucks gained the 2021 NBA title, in opposition to the Suns coincidentally.
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Booker was part of that staff, and that was a working joke between the present Phoenix head coach and the capturing guard. Nonetheless, there are some acquainted faces on the opposite aspect.
For instance, Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Antetokounmpo have been the principle core on Budenholzer’s Milwaukee roster. The defensive versatility, scoring, and dominance contained in the paint have been an excessive amount of to deal with for different groups.
Though that was the 2021 staff, many issues can change inside 4 seasons. For starters, Jrue Vacation is now not on the staff, and as a substitute, Damian Lillard is in his place.
Moreover, the Bucks have gone by means of two teaching adjustments. They employed Adrian Griffin, after which was fired midseason and changed by Doc Rivers.
Regardless of Budenholzer speaking about not caring or his gamers not caring, do not inform that to Durant. He defined after Friday’s sport that there is perhaps a hidden hearth together with his head coach.
Kevin Durant on Mike Budenholzer dealing with Milwaukee the first time for the reason that Bucks fired him after the 2022-23 season: “Understanding Bud, I do know he’ll have a bit of bit extra juice to play in opposition to his former staff. We acquired to match his power. Often nice groups match the coach’s power. So… pic.twitter.com/ehFY26rvGk
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 22, 2025
“Understanding Bud, I do know he’ll have a bit of bit extra juice to play in opposition to his former staff,” Durant mentioned. “We acquired to match his power. Often nice groups match the coach’s power. So we’re trying ahead to taking part in that sport.”
For the Suns, they went by means of Frank Vogel final season, and have been set on Budenholzer. If issues do not flip round, it is perhaps one other tumultuous ending for the Holbrook, Arizona native in his first season.