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The Phoenix Suns continue their five-game homestand Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks what will be Mike Budenholzer’s first game against his former team since the Bucks fired him after the 2022-23 season.
Budenholzer coached the Bucks to the 2020-21 NBA championship as they defeated the Suns in six games. Milwaukee went 271-120 in its five seasons under Budenholzer.
The Bucks made the playoffs in each of those five seasons, but they fired Budenholzer after a first-round exit in 2023. Milwaukee won 58 games that season and was the top seed in the East, but the eighth-seeded Miami Heat took care of the Bucks in five games.
Budenholzer, an Arizona native, didn’t coach last season, but he replaced Frank Vogel in Phoenix. The Suns started this season 8-1, but they now have a losing record and are battling for a play-in position.
Budenholzer never posted a losing season in his five seasons in Milwaukee, winning NBA Coach of the Year in the 2018-19 season after winning 60 games in his first year with the Bucks.
The Suns will conclude the five-game homestand Wednesday against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Phoenix has yet to play the Bucks or the Celtics this season.
Phoenix follows that up with a road test Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are 3-0 against the Suns this season.
The T-Wolves swept the Suns in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mike Budenholzer faces former team for first time since being fired
Continue reading...
Budenholzer coached the Bucks to the 2020-21 NBA championship as they defeated the Suns in six games. Milwaukee went 271-120 in its five seasons under Budenholzer.
The Bucks made the playoffs in each of those five seasons, but they fired Budenholzer after a first-round exit in 2023. Milwaukee won 58 games that season and was the top seed in the East, but the eighth-seeded Miami Heat took care of the Bucks in five games.
Budenholzer, an Arizona native, didn’t coach last season, but he replaced Frank Vogel in Phoenix. The Suns started this season 8-1, but they now have a losing record and are battling for a play-in position.
Budenholzer never posted a losing season in his five seasons in Milwaukee, winning NBA Coach of the Year in the 2018-19 season after winning 60 games in his first year with the Bucks.
The Suns will conclude the five-game homestand Wednesday against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics. Phoenix has yet to play the Bucks or the Celtics this season.
Phoenix follows that up with a road test Friday against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are 3-0 against the Suns this season.
The T-Wolves swept the Suns in the first round of last year’s playoffs.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-810-5518. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
Support local journalism: Subscribe to azcentral.com today.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mike Budenholzer faces former team for first time since being fired
Continue reading...
