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