No Kevin Durant as Phoenix Suns, Mike Budenholzer return to Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE – Mike Budenholzer returns to Milwaukee for the first time since the Bucks parted ways with him in 2023, as the hosts welcome the visiting Phoenix Suns on April 1 (April 2, Singapore time).

It will be Budenholzer’s first match at the Fiserv Forum since Game 5 of the 2023 National Basketball Association (NBA) first-round series when the Bucks lost to the Miami Heat.

Before the teams played one week ago in Arizona, the Phoenix public relations staff did not allow Bucks reporters to ask questions. Budenholzer did acknowledge one from a Suns reporter.

“I mean, it was a great five years, but right now before the game I’d rather just focus on Phoenix, focus on us,” he said.

“Our players don’t care (about my history with Milwaukee). I probably shouldn’t either.”

Both teams will be looking to snap losing skids. Phoenix (35-40) head into the game off a 148-109 home blowout on March 30 against the Houston Rockets – their third loss in a row.

“Couple days ago, we won four games in a row. We have to find a way to get back to that,” Budenholzer said.

“(Against Houston) it was a step in the wrong direction. It’s a group that’s got fight; we’ve got to bring it Tuesday.”

The Suns coach added that superstar Kevin Durant will not fly with the team to Milwaukee after he rolled his ankle early in the Rockets game.

Milwaukee (40-34), meanwhile, have lost four in a row and nine of their last 13. The Bucks fell to the Atlanta Hawks 145-124 on March 30 in their last game.

It was another game for Milwaukee in which they shot a high percentage and yet lost handily. They were shooting 69 per cent at half-time, yet were down seven.

“It’s almost impossible... I told our guys that any game we score over 120 we should win with our defence,” said Bucks head coach Doc Rivers. “Obviously, I was wrong.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo leads Milwaukee with 30.2 points and 11.9 boards per game. With Damian Lillard unavailable, he also leads with 5.9 assists per contest.

Durant and Devin Booker lead Phoenix with 26.6 and 25.3 points per game, respectively. Booker dishes out seven assists per night, while Mason Plumlee averages a team-high 6.2 boards.

Bradley Beal remains out with a hamstring injury for Phoenix. There is no clear timetable for his return.

For Milwaukee, Lillard (deep vein thrombosis) remains out along with Jericho Sims (thumb) and Bobby Portis (suspension). A.J. Green (shoulder) is also considered day-to-day.

When the two teams met last week, Booker put Phoenix ahead with a jumper in the final seconds to help the Suns win a 108-106 thriller.

Milwaukee and Phoenix, who faced off in the 2021 NBA Finals, have traded wins in their last four matchups, with the two-game season series being split a year ago.

Phoenix have a chance to sweep the series for the first time since that 2021 regular season.

Meanwhile, on March 31, veteran Al Horford turned back the clock to help champions the Boston Celtics notch a ninth straight victory with a 117-103 result over the Grizzlies in Memphis.

Horford, 38, led the Celtics scoring with 26 points off the bench.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, already assured of the Western Conference top seed, racked up their 10th straight victory with a 145-117 pounding of the Chicago Bulls.

Isaiah Joe came off the bench to score 31 points.

He led seven Thunder players to score in double figures as Oklahoma City improved to 28-1 against Eastern Conference opponents – the NBA record for most wins by a team against an opposing conference. REUTERS, AFP