Posted on: Could 4, 2023, 09:23h.
Final up to date on: Could 4, 2023, 09:54h.
The Milwaukee Bucks parted methods with head coach Mike Budenholzer after the top-seeded Bucks have been upset within the first spherical of the Japanese Convention playoffs by the #8 Miami Warmth. Former Toronto Raptors head coach Nick Nurse is the favourite to turn out to be the brand new head coach of the Bucks, and Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon from the WNBA can also be on the brief record of potential candidates.
The Bucks entered the playoffs because the consensus favourite to Win the 2022-23 NBA championship at +265 odds.
Over the past 4 weeks of the common season, the Bucks had overtaken the Boston Celtics because the betting favourite to Win the title. The Bucks held off the Celtics to safe the #1 seed within the east. They have been additionally the betting favourite to Win the Japanese Convention and return to the NBA Finals for a second time within the final three seasons.
The Bucks caught an unfortunate break when MVP candidate Giannis “Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo sustained a again damage within the opening recreation of the playoffs, which finally led to their collapse towards the Warmth.
Two-Time Coach of the Yr from the Pops Tree
Budenholzer spent 17 seasons as an assistant coach with the San Antonio Spurs beneath Gregg Popovich. He gained 4 NBA championships as an assistant coach with the Spurs, earlier than he lastly earned his first head-coaching job with the Atlanta Hawks in 2013.
Budenholzer gained the NBA Coach of the Yr with two totally different groups. He initially gained the distinguished honor with the Hawks again in 2014-15 when he gained 60 video games with a workforce that didn’t have a reputable All-Star.
In 5 seasons with the Hawks, Budenholzer went 213-197 and led them to 4 playoff appearances. They fired him after a disappointing 2017-18 season through which they missed the playoffs.
Budenholzer was not unemployed for very lengthy earlier than the Bucks snatched him up in the summertime of 2018. He gained the NBA Coach of the Yr in his first season with the Bucks in 2018-19.
Budenholzer led the Bucks to a Central Division crown in 5 consecutive seasons. He posted a 271-120 file, and gained over 69% of his regular-season video games throughout his five-year stint in Milwaukee.
Budenholzer virtually misplaced his job as soon as earlier than in 2021 till he guided the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 seasons. Successful the title helped save his job, but it surely didn’t present him with a lot job safety as a result of was fired two years later with two years remaining on his present contract.
Scapegoat After the Bucks Collapse
Budenholzer solely turned the fourth coach in NBA historical past to not return to a workforce after securing the most effective file within the league. He joins Pat Riley with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1990, Phil Jackson with the Chicago Bulls in 1998, and Mike Brown with the Cleveland Cavs in 2010.
Firing Budenholzer was an enormous shock regardless of the unsettling first-round upset by the Warmth. The Bucks entered the collection as the most important favourite on the board at -1200 odds to knock out the Warmth.
The Warmth workforce completed the common season in seventh place, however wanted to outlive the Play-In Event to safe a playoff seed. The Warmth missed an opportunity to lock up the #7 seed once they misplaced to the Atlanta Hawks within the first Play-in recreation. They secured the #8 seed with a victory in a second recreation towards the Chicago Bulls.
The Bucks gained just one recreation towards the Warmth, which was Recreation 2 through which Antetokounmpo didn’t swimsuit up. The Warmth edged out the Bucks 128-126 in additional time to Win Recreation 5 and clinch the collection.
The Bucks have been the most effective workforce within the east, however they positively had their share of flaws. The workforce had a weak point at capturing guard, however basic supervisor Jon Horst determined to face pat with Grayson Allen as a substitute of attempting to bolster their bench with a extra skilled and extra dependable shooter.
Antetokounmpo missed two video games towards the Warmth because of a again contusion, however was not 100% when he returned. He scored 38 factors and hauled down 20 rebounds in Recreation 5, however he additionally missed 13 free throws together with a number of within the fourth quarter.
Will Nick Nurse Coach the Bucks?
Renown NBA bettor Haralabos Voulgaris shared his ideas on Budenholzer’s abrupt dismissal.
Better of luck discovering a extra revolutionary and profitable coach than Bud,” tweeted Voulgaris. “He’s pioneered so many alternative strategic changes to the sport that each profitable workforce has copied.”
“The choice to make this modification was very tough,” stated Bucks basic supervisor Jon Horst stated in an official assertion.
The Toronto Raptors fired Nick Nurse on the finish of the season after they went 41-41 and missed the playoffs for a second time within the final three seasons.
Nurse is the most-coveted head coach who’s at the moment obtainable. The Bucks may’ve dismissed Budenholzer so rapidly to get a bounce on hiring Nurse earlier than different groups supply him a job.
“If they’ll get Nurse, that will be a fairly good combo of a brand new voice + nice coach,” added Voulgaris on Twitter.
Nurse gained a championship with the Raptors as a rookie head coach in 2018-19.The Raptors struggled after Kawhi Leonard left the subsequent 12 months when he signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in free company.
In 5 seasons with the Raptors, Nurse posted a 227-163 file and gained 58.2% of his video games.
“This is a chance for us to refocus and reenergize our efforts as we proceed constructing towards our subsequent championship season,” stated Horst.
Different potential candidates to switch Budenholzer embody present Bucks assistant coach Charles Lee, Becky Hammon, Frank Vogel, Kenny Atkinson, Mike D’Antoni, and James Borrego. Lee not too long ago interviewed with the Detroit Pistons for his or her head teaching emptiness.
Better of luck discovering a extra revolutionary and profitable coach than Bud. All this speak about him failing to make changes within the playoffs overlooks the truth that he is pioneered so many alternative strategic changes to the sport that each profitable workforce has copied.
— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) May 4, 2023
