The Budenholzer Doomsday Clock

@Tschmack posted:

The rumors are swirling out there about PJ Tucker. A DDV and DJW trade would work. I’d hate to lose DDVs defense, but Tucker is a better 3pt shooter and more importantly he can defend multiple positions.  He would also improve their second unit (bench) both offensively and defensively.

It means that Forbes would likely start and defensively he’s a step down from DDV, but as we’ve seen you can’t play Augustin and Forbes at the same time and stop anyone.  Tucker can score and defend so that combination could work.  

I'm not sold on PJ Tucker for DDV. Obviously, Tucker can guard some the bigger guys DDV can't, but the Bucks are getting killed by the opponent's guards when DDV sits out without Holiday the last 8 games. I think they are better off with what DDV can offer in terms of on-ball backcourt defense than they are with Tucker.

Bucks have won 9 of 10, and Budenholzer has a full clip now with Holiday back. Backing away from midnight...

As far as I’m concerned, anything less than a Finals appearance…

Chauncey Billups…

Game 4 is likely the most important game of Bud's Milwaukee career (now that they've won Game 3).

If they win Game 4, it means the series goes at least 6 games. Losing to a loaded Nets team (assuming Harden is back at some point in the next week) in 6 or 7 games is not a firable offense.

If Game 3 was the outlier and the Bucks get destroyed tomorrow afternoon, the series will be over in 5 games and Bud will be gone.

I don't think the Bucks are winning a playoff game on the road at this point unless something changes with Giannis at the line. He's bad enough at this point with a supportive crowd. If I were the Nets, I'd put a bench guy into the game as soon as the Bucks were in the bonus and put Giannis at the line for 6-8 FTs at the end of a quarter. At the rate he's going, he's more likely to shoot 50% airballs than make 50%.

Dan LeBatard had a tweet asking if your life depended on it, would you rather have Ben Simmons or Giannis at the line to make a FT. The best response was when someone said Giannis because they'd have plenty of time to say their last goodbyes to everyone in their family.

You listen to Budenholzer, it’s all concepts. He brings that with him- a winning formula. But come playoff time, bold moves are often called for. Adjustments made. And that’s where the “winning formula” falls apart. You have to counter.

A good coach- or even a decent coach- wants to take something you you do well away. Isolate a weakness. In this series, the Bucks have been told “we dare you to go iso” and the Bucks took the bait, swallowed the bait, and are on the line getting reeled in. Brooklyn knows they have two of the best iso players in the game- and the Bucks iso guys aren’t a match. The Bucks have a deep productive bench and Brooklyn’s second unit sucks… Bucks bench neutralized.

Today, Budenholzer makes a winning adjustment or the Bucks season is all but over. He needs to get Middleton and Holiday better looks, get them in better rhythm. He needs to reign in his superstar and make him do what he does best- put pressure on you in the paint.

And defensively, it’s time KD gets guarded by Giannis. I know they’re keeping him on help because the p&r would just force Giannis and Lopez to switch anyway, but he’s also getting 8-10 right hand dribbles to the wing for easy midrange jumpers that Durant will rarely miss. Giannis takes that away. And if it’s time to take Lopez out of the mix and put Giannis at the 5, force them to adjust, so be it. Lopez had all the blocks in game 3, but they’re just going to extend to midrange and floaters, which Lopez is unequipped to defend. Giannis needs to be primary on Durant- and force him to guard Giannis on both ends.

If I'm Bud, I run at least 2 of the first 3 offensive sets for Jrue Holiday. Get him involved.

Great opening set for Holiday

He just missed the shot.

@MichiganPacker2 posted:

Great opening set for Holiday

He just missed the shot.

And then airballs his second shot from 10 feet. Unbelievable.

He really is Jrue Bledsoe right now.

@MichiganPacker2 posted:

And then airballs his second shot from 10 feet. Unbelievable.

He really is Jrue Bledsoe right now.

0 for 3 with two air balls.

Budenholzer finally played Giannis at the 5 for extended minutes, many during that decisive 19-2 run. Brooklyn doesn’t have a defense for it, and the shooters finally had some success. He waited until game 4 to make that adjustment- that cannot save his job. I don’t care what happens- he cannot get extended (he has 1 year left). Doesn’t look like the Ownership feels any different:

https://behindthebuckpass.com/...rs-mike-budenholzer/

Unless they end up in the NBA Finals I see no way or reason why he’s retained.  

He’s a day late and a dollar short on making adjustments, and that won’t cut it against the best teams in the league over the long haul.

I’m still pissed about how they imploded against Toronto.  They should have won it all that year.

If the Bucks can't win this series with Harden & Kyrie OUT, then Bud needs termination immediately. Seriously, zero excuses now

Losing the Toronto series represents perhaps the biggest missed (non-Packer) opportunity to win a title for a Wisconsin sports team that I can remember (which starts about 1975 for me). It's up there with Game 7 of the 1982 World Series (and, of course, the many Packers gag jobs that get discussed for dozens of pages on this forum).

For all the complaints about stagnant offense (which were valid), the Toronto series loss came down to two main things: Giannis missing FTs and Bledsoe not being an offensive threat (which was a big culprit in killing their spacing and making the offense stagnant). Giannis was 17 for 32 from the line and Bledsoe was 4 for 18 from 3. 3 of the 4 losses were one-possession games deep into the 4th quarter. If Giannis shoots 75% from the line or Bledsoe shoots 35% from 3, there is probably a banner in the rafters right now.

Two years later, in a series the Bucks may still lose, Giannis is 11 for 29 from the line. Bledsoe's replacement, Jrue Holiday, who is clearly a vastly superior offensive player is shooting 6 for 20 from 3. Maybe Holiday reverts to the mean over the next 2-3 games, but how much of this is a failure of the Bucks system to generate some easy looks and establish some type of rhythm for their #3 scoring option? Giannis' FT problems are an organization-wide failure at this point. How in the world did we get to a point where the player with the most FT attempts in the league commits a clear 10-second violation every time he goes to the line? Every FT is even more stressful because there is a chance that could be called at any time.

@Tschmack posted:

He’s a day late and a dollar short on making adjustments, and that won’t cut it against the best teams in the league over the long haul.

I’m of the mind that if they get to the Finals, it doesn’t (or shouldn’t) matter. The glaring tactical weaknesses and the “let it fly” bullshit is just too much to ignore. Giannis is being allowed to do whatever he wants, with no coaching.

The FT routine- it’s terrible. It doesn’t help him.

The 3s… it’s terrible, it doesn’t help him.

The not putting your best defender on their best F thing… it’s terrible, it doesn’t help him.

The decision making and turnovers… it’s terrible, it doesn’t help him.

This team has potentially a decade of relevance in front of them… don’t waste it.

@MichiganPacker2 posted:

Two years later, in a series the Bucks may still lose, Giannis is 11 for 29 from the line. Bledsoe's replacement, Jrue Holiday, who is clearly a vastly superior offensive player is shooting 6 for 20 from 3. Maybe Holiday reverts to the mean over the next 2-3 games, but how much of this is a failure of the Bucks system to generate some easy looks and establish some type of rhythm for their #3 scoring option? Giannis' FT problems are an organization-wide failure at this point.

If the system isn’t putting guys in positions to be successful, it can take a great player and neutralize them. That’s what is going on with Holiday right now.

Rick Carlisle and Dallas have agreed to part ways. Anyone interested in him if Bud gets relieved of his duties? He did win a championship in Dallas.

Fuck yes… he’s one of the smartest coaches in the NBA. They won’t get out-coached if he’s on the sideline.

Anyone better than Bud. Settling for perimeter shots again.

Dude is going to fall into an NBA championship with all the star players dropping out from other teams and save his job.

@sheaserrano: coach bud needs to draw up a play where gregg popovich comes in and draws up a play

Tick tock tick tock tick tock......

Not a good sign…

https://bleacherreport.com/art...ter-advancing-to-ecf

I wouldn’t say his job is safe just yet.

The way things are set up now, of the 4 teams remaining the Bucks have the best shot to win it all.   If they fall short, and/or look bad in the process, I would imagine they might consider making a change.

If the Bucks lose the Finals....Will Bud get an extension?

Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock.....

@Boris posted:

If the Bucks lose the Finals....Will Bud get an extension?

Tick tock tick tock tick tock tick tock.....

Yes. He's made more and better adjustments in this year's playoff run than in the last two combined.

There is also the fact that his players play hard for him. I guess you could argue that this set of guys would play hard for any coach, but the fact is they are putting out a supreme level of effort.

Bud did impress me with his changes after the first two games. Didn't think he had it in him....

I doubt that he was in serious trouble unless they (he) really fucked up.

If Giannis wants him back as coach he's back.

Budenholzer was saved by Kevin Durant’s toe…

I think George Karl will be back

@Music City posted:

Budenholzer was saved by Kevin Durant’s toe…

The amazing part of this is, Durant likes his shoes to be at the least 1/2 size bigger then they have to be. He does not like them to be tight of the sides of his feet. Sometimes it is not a game of inches, but of centimeters

@Slobknocker posted:

it is not a game of inches, but of centimeters

thanks for the confidence boost

real question is: does he get a road named after him?

Budenholzer Boulevard has a nice ring to it.

Budenholzer in about a week when ownership opens discussions on his extension.

That would fit in well in the Old World 3rd St area.  Ya Ya Ya!

This thread just proves the front office knows more than the general fan.  This includes players and coaches.

Times up Budd!

@YATittle posted:

Bud did impress me with his changes after the first two games. Didn't think he had it in him....

I was wrong.

his adjustments in the Sun series after game 2 were excellent.

he deserves an extension