Bucks: Coach Bud “gone a long way” in Securing Future per Woj
By Paul Bretl
Coach Mike Budenholzer’s contract with the Milwaukee Bucks runs through the 2021-2022 season, but it’s no secret that he was very much coaching for his job this year.
Since taking the reins as head coach in 2018, the Bucks have had a lot of regular-season success. There was the 60 win season his first year at the helm that ended with Bud winning Coach of the Year. Milwaukee would also go on to be the top seed in the Eastern Conference back-to-back years as well, and of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo would sign a long-term deal to stay with the team last fall—which likely isn’t a direct result of Coach Bud, but it’s noteworthy when discussing his tenure nonetheless.
However, the issue has been the Bucks’ performance in the playoffs. And not only the fact that they’ve lost, but more so how they lost.
After taking a 2-0 lead over Toronto in the Eastern Conference Finals two seasons ago, Nick Nurse and the Raptors would make adjustments, while the Bucks didn’t — or perhaps the adjustments they did make just weren’t good enough — and it resulted in a series loss.
Last season in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, Milwaukee was outplayed and out-coached by the Miami Heat. To sum it up, we’ve seen a lack of adjustments from Bud in the playoffs, some questionable rotations, and at times what appeared to be an unwillingness to give his star players more playing time in crucial games.
It goes without saying, but Bud’s future with the team hinged on their performance in this year’s playoffs. Back in early May, Shams Charania and Sam Amick of The Athletic ($$) would note that Bud would likely be fired if there wasn’t a deep playoff run by Milwaukee this year.
What constituted a “deep playoff run” could be debated, but according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, the Bucks knocking off the Nets in the Eastern Semi-Finals should be enough to keep Coach Bud around for at least one more season:
"“Mike Budenholzer knew coming into this season that his future in Milwaukee would be judged by his postseason performance,” said Woj on ABC’s NBA Countdown. “He’s gone through Miami and now he’s gone through the Brooklyn Nets into the Eastern Conference Finals. I’m told that has gone a long way in securing Mike Budenholzer’s future in Milwaukee. He has one year left on his contract.”"
After the Nets came roaring back in Game 5 from a 17 point deficit to take a 3-2 series advantage, it felt like Bud’s time in Milwaukee was all but over. But as the old saying goes, “winning cures everything.” The Bucks would win the final two games behind stellar performances from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton and will now head to the Eastern Conference Finals as the favorites.
While there have certainly still been bumps in the road, sweeping Miami after being knocked out by them a year ago and finding a way to defeat the albeit short-handed but still loaded, Nets shows growth–not only for the players but for Bud as well. And as Woj notes, those series victories have helped secure his future.
It also needs to be mentioned that despite the disappointing finishes the last two seasons, from our vantage point, it never looked like the players wavered when it came to their loyalty and trust in Coach Bud. And that certainly means a heck of a lot.
Saturday’s Game 7 win was massive, not only for Bud but for the Milwaukee Bucks organization. However, there is still work to be done—this is a team with championship aspirations, after all. Both Bud and the players still have to show that this season isn’t like the past two and avoid the same pitfalls that have brought them down previously.
Quote from Adrian Wojnarowski courtesy of Bleacher Report