Mike Budenholzer Archives - Wisconsin Radio Network

Budenholzer named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month

January 2, 2020 By Bill Scott

Mike Budenholzer – File Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer has been named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for December. It’s the third time Budenholzer has won Coach of the Month honors with the Bucks and the fifth time overall in his career.

In December, Budenholzer led the Bucks to the best record, most wins and fewest losses in the NBA at 13-2. Last month, Milwaukee led the league in scoring (119.3 ppg), rebounding (52.2), field goal percentage (.491) and opponent field goal percentage (.400) and was tops in the NBA in net (16.2), offensive (115.5) and defensive (99.3) rating. The Bucks outscored their opponents by an average of 16.5 points a game in December and won 11 of their 13 games by double digits, including seven by 20+ points.

In his second season as head coach of the Bucks, Budenholzer has let the team to the best start in franchise history and the best record in the NBA at 31-5.

Bucks win streak ends at 18 (AUDIO)

December 17, 2019 By Bill Scott

The Dallas Mavericks put an end to the Milwaukee Bucks’ 18-game winning streak with a 120-116 victory on Monday night at Fiserv Forum.

Kristaps Porzingis led Dallas with 26 points, 12 rebounds and two blocked shots. Seth Curry had 26 points off the bench, as Dallas improved to 7-2 in their last nine games. The Mavericks played without their top player, Luka Doncic, who was sidelined with an ankle injury.

Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 48 points and pulled down 14 rebounds for the Bucks, who lost for the first time since November 8th. Kyle Korver hit five three-pointers and finished with 17 off the bench. [Read more…]

Cold second half sees Bucks fall to Celtics

October 31, 2019 By Bill Scott

The Boston Celtics outscored the Milwaukee Bucks by 27 points in the second half and went on to post a 116-105 win in Boston.

Kemba Walker scored a game-high 32 points for the Celtics, who improved to 3-1. Jayson Tatum added 25 points and Gordon Hayward had 21 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists.

Khris Middleton poured in 26 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 22 points and 14 rebounds as the Bucks dropped to 2-2 on the season.

The Bucks hit 5 of 9 from three-point range in the first half, then went 9 of 36 the rest of the way. The Bucks managed just 34 points in the paint.

The Bucks remaining starters, Eric Bledsoe, Brook Lopez and Wes Matthews combined to hit just 6 of 24 from the field.

As concerning as the Bucks cold spell was, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was even more concerned with his teams defense, or lack there of it in the second half.

The Bucks are off today and face the Magic in Orlando on Friday night.

Bledsoe set for Bucks opener in Houston

October 23, 2019 By Bill Scott

When Milwaukee Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe left the court on October 9 with an injury, it was feared that he wouldn’t be ready to return for the start of the regular season.

At the time, it was believed that Bledsoe suffered an oblique injury, but instead, it was cracked cartilage in his rib cage.

After going through the majority of practice on Saturday, he followed that with a full practice on Tuesday. Now Bledsoe has been cleared to play and start the season opener against the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.

Bledsoe’s return means the Bucks are 100% healthy for the opener as Mike Budenholzer has his entire 15-player roster available. He’ll start Bledsoe, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and newcomer Wes Matthews. Matthews takes over at the shooting guard spot after Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Indiana Pacers in July.

That group hasn’t had a lot of time together in preseason games, but they’ve spent considerable time working together in practice. We’ll see how well that translates to regular season game action starting Thursday night.

Bucks cruise past Utah in exhibition home opener

October 10, 2019 By Bill Scott

Giannis Antetokounmpo – File Photo

After not playing many of their regulars on Monday night in Chicago, the Milwaukee Bucks used their starters on Wednesday night and cruised to a 133-99 win over the Utah Jazz at Fiserv Forum.

Giannis Antetokounmpo took the ball to the rim time after time, getting multiple dunks to finish with 22 points 11 rebounds and four assists in 20+ minutes of playing time.

Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez added 14 points each. Wes Matthews joined the starters on Wednesday night and finished with eight points, three rebounds and two assists in 17 minutes.

Donte DiVincenzo bounced back from a poor shooting night in Chicago on Monday by scoring 10 points on 4 of 7 shooting. He added four rebounds, two assists and two steals.

Kyle Korver played his first game for the Bucks and took three shots, making all three of his three-pointers for nine points. Thanasis Antetokounmpo also finished with 9 points and five rebounds.

Bucks starting point guard Eric Bledsoe did leave the game in the second quarter with an oblique strain. The Bucks are hoping that’s an injury that won’t keep him out long.

The Bucks are 2-0 in exhibition play and will travel to Dallas to face the Mavericks on Friday night.

Giannis named NBA’s Most Valuable Player (Audio)

June 25, 2019 By Bill Scott

The Milwaukee Bucks may have finished two wins shy of a trip to the NBA Finals, but they cleaned up at the NBA Awards ceremony on Monday night in Los Angeles.

After Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was named the NBA Coach of the Year and GM Jon Horst captured Executive of the Year honors, superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was awarded the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award for the 2018-19 season.

While leading the Bucks to their best record since the 1980-81 season and the top mark in the NBA at 60-22, Antetokounmpo averaged 27.7 points (3rd in the NBA), 12.5 rebounds (6th in the NBA) and 5.9 assists (T-20th in the NBA) per game, all career-highs. He also shot a franchise record 57.8% from the field (11th in the NBA), blocked 1.5 shots (10th in the NBA) and swiped 1.3 steals per game. Giannis became just the ninth player in NBA history to average at least 25.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.0 assists per game over the course of a season and did so with the highest shooting percentage [Read more…]

Budenholzer named NBA Coach of the Year

June 25, 2019 By Bill Scott

File Photo by Jordan Johnson/NBAE via Getty Images)

After leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a NBA-best 60 wins, coach Mike Budenholzer was named the league’s Coach of the Year on Monday night.

Budenholzer is the second coach in Bucks history to win the honor, joining Don Nelson. Nelson won the honor twice in 1982-83 and 1984-85. Budenholzer also won the honor with the Atlanta Hawks in 2014-15.

In Budenholzer’s first season in Milwaukee, he led the Bucks to a 16-win improvement from the previous season as they owned the best record in the NBA at 60-22. The Bucks 60 wins were tied for the team’s third-most in franchise history and the most since the 1980-81 season. As the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Bucks won their first playoff series, and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, for the first time since 2001. [Read more…]

Grizzlies hire Bucks assistant Jenkins

June 12, 2019 By Bill Scott

Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach, Taylor Jenkins, has been hired as the next head coach of the NBA’s Memphis Grizzlies.

Jenkins has been on Mike Budenholzer’s staffs in both Milwaukee and Atlanta and becomes the third NBA coach to come off Budenholzer’s staffs.

The 34-year-old Dallas native is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. He becomes the Grizzlies’ ninth non-interim head coach since they moved to Memphis.

Jenkins becomes the second-youngest current NBA coach, older only than Minnesota’s Ryan Saunders (33). He replaces J.B. Bickerstaff, who was fired after the Grizzlies ended the season with a 33-49 record.

Bucks sign GM Horst to contract extension

June 8, 2019 By Bill Scott

Jon Horst

The Milwaukee Bucks have signed General Manager Jon Horst to a multi-year contract extension.

In two seasons under Horst, the Bucks have generated a 104-60 (.634) record, hired Mike Budenholzer as head coach, and put the Bucks in position for long term success. In the past season alone, the Bucks finished a league best 60-22 (.732), the first 60-win season for the Bucks since the 1980-81 season. They advanced past the first round of the Playoffs for the first time since 2001.

Horst began his NBA front office career with the Detroit Pistons in 2005 and joined the Bucks basketball staff in 2008 as the team’s Director of Basketball Operations.

“I’m thankful to our ownership group for their continued trust and confidence in me,” Horst said. “Wes, Marc and Jamie have been resolute in their commitment to building a championship-caliber team, providing the necessary tools and resources, and I look forward to continuing to execute their vision. I am grateful for the partnership I have with Coach Bud and Peter and want to thank my hard-working staff, especially Milt Newton, for their dedication and support in building a championship-level team.”

Bucks falter down the stretch drop ECF’s to Toronto

May 26, 2019 By Bill Scott

The Milwaukee Bucks led by as many as 15 points late in the third quarter on Saturday night before falling to the Toronto Raptors 100-94 in game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. The result gave the Raptors the series win four games to two and the right to face the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

After going down 15, Toronto answered with a 26-3 run. The Raptors took their largest lead at 87-79 with 6 minutes, 45 seconds left.

The Bucks bounced back with a 7-0 run but never did quite make it all the way back.

Kawhi Leonard had 27 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists to lead the Raptors.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 21 points and 11 rebounds for the Bucks. Brook Lopez added 18 and Khris [Read more…]