The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t handle Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat.
Butler was a one-man show, and coach Mike Budenholzer failed to make any sort of adjustment to at least try and get him out of his rhythm.
Even Giannis Antetokounmpo — who rarely speaks ill of anybody — didn’t seem satisfied with how the team handled Butler, and he made some interesting comments about potential adjustments that could’ve helped.
Giannis Antetokounmpo says the Bucks didn’t make the right adjustments vs Jimmy Butler
“Double -team him more, try to make him pass the ball. Maybe switch the matchup for a little bit, give Jrue a break. I don't think as a team we made the right [adjustment] or we didn't make… pic.twitter.com/P7Jk45Yof0
— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) April 27, 2023
Of course, the fans took notice of his comments and seemed to think he was calling Budenholzer out.
Budenholzer gone
— Per Sources (@PerSources) April 27, 2023
It’s pretty obvious they didn’t make the right adjustments he had 40 on 60% from the field and 50+ the game before
— choc (@choc) April 27, 2023
Coach Bud getting fired 100% and Nick Nurse replacing him
— IKD (@ESPNneedsIKD) April 27, 2023
And that is called “coaching”
— Don jones (@theedonjones_) April 27, 2023
I get his point but also Spoelstra was consistently ahead of Bud when making adjustments especially when the Heat switched to Bam as the primary ball handler for a few plays late in the game which gave Jimmy other opportunities
— Brandon (@brandonjaymzBJC) April 27, 2023
Coach Budenholzer has been excellent in the regular season but has often been exposed and outcoached in the playoffs.
It’s hard to make a point for not putting a former Defensive Player of the Year against a wing that’s beating your team over and over, or at least trying to make someone else guard him.
As great as a defender as Jrue Holiday is, Coach Bud stood there while Jimmy Butler gave him 56 and 40 in back-to-back games.
That’s not on Jrue, but on who continues to let that happen.
Coach Bud deserves a lot of credit for the team winning an NBA championship for the first time in fifty years; that’s undeniable.
But all good things eventually come to an end and and sometimes coaches wear themselves out by staying too much with the same team and failing to adapt.
So, it’ll be interesting to see whether the Bucks let him go this offseason despite having the best record in the regular season this year.
NEXT: Colin Cowherd Urges Bucks To Make Major Roster Decision
