Milwaukee Bucks: Mike Budenholzer and his search for playoff redemption

From the moment Mike Budenholzer entered his third season with the Milwaukee Bucks this season, there was much for he and the Bucks to prove.

The two-time NBA Coach of the Year has helped steward this ongoing renaissance for the Bucks after leading them to the best record in the NBA in each of the last two seasons. For all of that, though, the Bucks have two straight playoff collapses to show for it, even as plenty of extenuating circumstances played into the Bucks’ unraveling to the Miami Heat in last year’s Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Mike Budenholzer has overseen the Milwaukee Bucks’ evolution this 2020-21 season

To his credit, Budenholzer has made a very conscious effort not to fall into the same pattern of mistakes that have sunk the Bucks historically under his watch. What was once unknown about the Bucks’ modus operandi is now the new normal under Budenholzer as they have made a point of instituting more defensive experimentation as well as changing up what used to be their five-out system to regularly utilizing their dunker spot in their offensive spacing.

All of these changes have resulted in the Bucks holding a 43-24 record and the second seed in the East following their fifth straight victory Friday night over the Houston Rockets now with five games over the final week of the season. Yes, the Bucks aren’t the overwhelming regular juggernaut like we’ve seen under Budenholzer historically, but it’s certainly fair to see they’re more battle tested and comfortable in the position they found themselves than in years past.

All of these systemic changes that Budenholzer has overseen certainly hasn’t been lost on the Bucks’ front office. During a press conference with local media last month, Bucks general manager Jon Horst commended the job and performance that Budenholzer and the rest of his coaching staff have done this season:

"“I think it’s awesome. It’s incredible to have a partner in this business that cares about winning as much as he does that he’s willing to adjust and change and try things differently for the ultimate goal.I think all of us want to win and want to win at the highest level and we’re willing to do anything we can to do it. When the motivation and the mindset is not one of selfishness or lack of flexibility, it’s a true, genuine kind of partnership where we work together and try to figure out ways to do it better. That’s how you get there, I hope…The things we’re doing offensively is an example of that. Different defensive strategies and philosophies are examples of that. There’s examples from players’ perspectives and from a front office perspective, with the way we’ve attacked certain transactions and different things we’ve done.“Ultimately, who knows if it works out. You have to be lucky, you have to be healthy. But the mindset and the motivations behind what we’re doing, I think is awesome. That’s the word I would use. It’s incredible that Bud and his staff are doing the things that they’re doing and it’s not always easy. It’s not always pretty when you do it."

There’s no question that the multiple personnel changes the Bucks have informed the different kind of brew we’ve seen in Milwaukee this season. As much as Budenholzer has faced a real urgency to change things up, so too has Horst and co. to make such high-profile additions like Jrue Holiday, P.J. Tucker, Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes as a way to improve and supplement the Bucks’ core.

Whatever criticism that can be levied at Budenholzer’s feet, plenty of which is warranted, the Bucks’ talent is certainly in a better place than last season. And the wealth of options that the Bucks have at their disposal rivals to what the Bucks had over the 2018-19 season when Budenholzer first arrived.

From that standpoint, it’s all about Budenholzer being able to put the things the Bucks have worked on throughout the season and putting them into practice come playoff time. Certainly having his top players play up to their standard or greater will help as well, but playing to the situations and personnel that the Bucks will face is paramount rather than adhering to any one system that has since been checkmated time and again.

Next. 3 Bucks angling towards big roles in the postseason. dark

There’s no question that what remains of the Bucks’ 2020-21 season and how long it will go on will greatly dictate Budenholzer’s future in Milwaukee. While that’s the case, Budenholzer has done exactly what’s been asked of him in light of the team’s playoff disappointments. But it will only get harder from here.

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