Coach Mike Budenholzer’s Future May Depend on Bucks’ Playoff Success

The Milwaukee Bucks have won more than 71% of their games in the last three seasons. That’s the best record in the league during that span. The Bucks had the league’s best record during the previous two seasons and they have the 7th best record in the NBA this year. But for all their regular season success, the Bucks have failed to win when it matters most, during the playoffs.

Milwaukee came up short in 2019, falling to Kawhi Leonard and the eventual champions Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Finals. Last season, the Bucks were eliminated in the second round by the Miami Heat, who could go on to represent the East in the 2020 NBA Finals.

During the offseason, there were rumors about Giannis Antetokounmpo leaving Milwaukee in search of a city where he can get a chance to play for the NBA title. Milwaukee promised to build a winner around him and made several key moves to make Giannis sign the supermax extension.

The Bucks traded for Jrue Holiday and added key bench pieces like Bobby Portis and Bryn Forbes. Giannis signed a contract extension but the Bucks did not stop there. They traded for P.J. Tucker and then signed Jeff Teague during the season. With the lineup they have right now, the Bucks look ready for a deep playoff run.

Deep Playoff Run

Well, the Bucks better go on that deep playoff run because according to a report from The Athletic, head coach Mike Budenholzer’s job is contingent on Milwaukee going deep in the postseason. Per the report, a first-round exit would be a likely “doomsday scenario” for the Bucks’ bench tactician while a second-round defeat would make it nearly impossible for him to survive.

Mike Budenholzer’s job could be in danger if the Bucks don’t make a deep playoff run. 👀 https://t.co/jSCYqrB8mf pic.twitter.com/7v907TGGDh

— theScore (@theScore) May 5, 2021

The report also suggests that there was a great deal of frustration on Coach Bud after their second-round exit against the Heat last season and while management just let it pass at that time, it has not been forgotten. Because of that, there is a need for the Bucks to finish better than they did last year, or else Budenholzer would most certainly get the pink slip.

Budenholzer started his head coaching career in Atlanta and led the Hawks to four consecutive playoff appearances from 2013 to 2017, including a 60-win season in 2015 where he won his first Coach of the Year award. But after Atlanta’s 24-win season in 2018, he parted ways with the Hawks and signed to coach the Bucks. He led Milwaukee to its first 60-win season since 1981 and was named Coach of the Year in 2019.

Bucks Clinch Playoff Spot

Following their impressive two-game sweep of the Brooklyn Nets, the Bucks clinched a playoff spot on Tuesday night and moved to within 1.5 games of catching up with the Nets for the 2nd seed in the East. Milwaukee is currently at 41-24 on the season with seven games left to play. Mathematically, they still have a chance of catching up with the top-seeded Sixers who are three games up on them but that may be far-fetched.

If the playoffs started today, the Bucks would face the 6th seeded Heat in the 1st round in a rematch of last year’s 2nd round series where the Bucks were eliminated.

Of course, the Heat are not yet safe at 6th but if that were to be the matchup, it won’t be an easy one for the Bucks. If Milwaukee beats Miami in round one, their second-round opponent would be the Nets. Although they defeated Brooklyn in back-to-back games recently, the Nets are expected to get James Harden back in the postseason. That won’t be an easy series either.

▪️ Top seeds PHX, PHI seek 6 straight

▪️ Knicks seek 13 wins in 14 games

▪️ Russ: 4 triple-doubles from breaking Oscar Robertson’s all-time record

📱💻: NBA TV, NBA League Pass

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— NBA (@NBA) May 5, 2021

According to online sportsbook BetOnline, the Bucks are tied with the Sixers with the second-best odds to win the Eastern Conference at +425. Milwaukee also has the 5th best odds to win the NBA title at +1000. There’s no question that the Bucks have done what had to be done to build a winner around Giannis. Now it’s up to Giannis to lead them to the land of promise. Now the two-time MVP must be up to the task because his coach’s job may depend on that.