Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer finally faces the Milwaukee Bucks

Phoenix – Mike Budenholzer guided the Milwaukee Bucks to the 2021 National Basketball Association (NBA) title and was fired two years later after a 58-win season.

Now in his first season with the Suns, Budenholzer coaches against his former team for the first time since the dismissal when Milwaukee visit Phoenix on March 24 (March 25, Singapore time).

Budenholzer went 271-120 in five seasons with Milwaukee but a first-round exit in 2023, when the Bucks were the top seeds in the Eastern Conference, earned him a pink slip. The eighth-seeded Miami Heat won that series in five games.

Budenholzer sat out the 2023-24 season before the Suns hired him to replace the fired Frank Vogel. Budenholzer’s title with the Bucks came against Phoenix in six games.

Yet, the coach was not interested in talking about the Bucks after the 123-112 home victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 21.

“Yeah, I’m going to just enjoy tonight,” Budenholzer told reporters. “We got two days, and we’ll get ready to play and it’ll be good... But I think we’re just going to take this in tonight.”

Budenholzer’s first game back in Milwaukee is also on the horizon. The Suns visit the Bucks on April 1.

Phoenix (34-37) are just trying to get into the play-in round this season. The Suns are tied for the 10th and final Western Conference spot with the Dallas Mavericks with just 11 games remaining.

But the Suns are currently riding a 3-0 start to a five-game homestand that concludes on March 26 against the Boston Celtics.

In the impressive victory over the East-leading Cavaliers, Kevin Durant led the way with 42 points, eight assists and six rebounds. He knocked down 17 of 29 shots.

“I liked that I was precise and straight to my movements and not wasting too much time,” Durant said after his second-highest points total of the season.

The Suns could use more outings like that as 10 of their final 11 games are against teams in either play-off or play-in position.

“Every game is going to be a battle at this point,” Phoenix star Devin Booker said. “We see the remaining schedule, we know what we’re up against. There’s going to be rough parts but still going to have to stick together and keep doing what we’re doing.”

Milwaukee (40-30) have won back-to-back games and reside in fifth place in the East. The Bucks are 2-1 on a five-game road trip.

Star guard Damian Lillard (calf) has missed the past two games. He will remain out for March 24. Bobby Portis Jr (suspension) and Jericho Sims (thumb) will be sidelined as well.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was a one-man show with 32 points and 17 rebounds in the 114-108 victory over the Sacramento Kings on March 22. He stepped up his game after Milwaukee trailed by 14 in the opening minute of the third quarter and had 22 points on nine-of-11 shooting in the period.

“I’ll be honest with you – I just said ‘F**k it, like I got to be aggressive’,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s what I said in my mind. I didn’t say it to anybody. I said it in my mind, you know?”

Bucks coach Doc Rivers was just fine with Antetokounmpo’s takeover.

Said Rivers: “I think Giannis did it the right way. I can’t remember any shot that he took where I thought he was trying to take it over, it was just that he was taking it over. There’s a difference.”

Suns guard Bradley Beal (hamstring) will miss his fourth straight game.

In NBA action on March 23, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points to power Western Conference leaders the Oklahoma City Thunder to a tense 103-101 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

Gilgeous-Alexander endured a tough shooting night but connected on all 11 of his free throws, including two in the final second that sealed the victory.

In other Western Conference action, the Denver Nuggets moved within one game of the Rockets for second place with a 116-111 victory in Houston.

The Nuggets, with NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic sidelined for a fourth straight game with an ankle injury, outscored the Rockets 39-22 in the third quarter and led by 19 with eight seconds left in the period.

“It can’t always be pretty,” said Jamal Murray, who scored 39 points to lead six Nuggets players in double figures. “We really locked in when we needed to.”

In Utah, Jarrett Allen scored 18 points to help Cleveland snap a season-high four-game losing streak in a 120-91 road win over the Jazz.

Meanwhile, Jayson Tatum scored 30 points as the Celtics defeated the hosts Portland Trail Blazers 129-116. REUTERS, AFP