3 Milwaukee Bucks under the most pressure down 0-2 to the Brooklyn Nets

Mike Budenholzer’s job is in the balance with the Milwaukee Bucks down 0-2

After sweeping the Miami Heat and outdueling Erik Spoelstra in round one, it appeared the Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer had turned a new leaf. Prone to imploding in the postseason due to his own questionable decisions, it was welcoming to see him outlast one of the best coaches in the association in these playoffs.

Yet, that belief in Budenholzer died down rather quickly as he has reverted back to his old self for these first two games. Most notably, his rotations are back to being controversial, and the minutes being given to his star players has yet again sparked outrage, as Budenholzer said after Game 1 that he is trying to keep his top players “fresh” for the series.

Budenholzer has been completely outmatched by Brooklyn’s first-year head coach Steve Nash. While the players have not exactly stepped up to the plate and helped Budenholzer out much, the coach is not doing himself any favors in this series. With his team down 0-2, he will have to be willing to get uncomfortable and make the proper adjustments in this series to keep his team afloat, even if it means letting Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Jrue Holiday play over 40 minutes.

It is puzzling to see Budenholzer coach like this after showing a much more adaptable style of play during the regular season and a fantastic first round. Furthermore, rumors have been swirling for months now that his head coaching job with the franchise is certainly on the line depending on how these playoffs shake out for the Bucks. Right now, that outlook does not look too good for him and the franchise. Perhaps being blown out in consecutive games could force Budenholzer to drop his firm beliefs and do what he must to win, but only time will tell.

The pressure is building around the former Coach of the Year with his team trending downward in the second round of the playoffs.