Proof How Bad Mike Budenholzer Has Been Through Two Games
Yesterday, Mike Budenholzer took all the smoke. And for good reason. When people emerged from the officiating disaster, people realized what a bad job Bud did all game long. There is nothing better than when data guides your decisions. And it is apparent that Budenholzer is not a big data guy. Because, if he was things would be done a lot differently these playoffs. Instead, Bud is treating this series like they’re playing seven straight regular-season games against Miami. These two tweets completely floored me.
Giannis just got taken out with a 67% chance of playing the remaining 28 minutes of the game.
These estimates of playing the rest of the game ARE WITHOUT REST. 🗣️PLAY YOUR BEST PLAYERS pic.twitter.com/Z6JXL5nzp6
— Dani Chu (@chuurveg) September 2, 2020
Through two games against Milwaukee, the Bucks' 4 starters who have played both games(Middleton, Giannis, Lopez and Matthews) have played a total of 20 minutes together. And have a +8.4 net rating in those minutes.
Play your best players together.
— Anthony Doyle (@Anthonysmdoyle) September 3, 2020
Let’s start with the first one because it’s more important. Why is Mike Budenholzer treating fouls like he is a college coach? It is fucking infuriating that I have to watch basketball at the pro and collegiate level where my two coaches worry so much about foul trouble versus letting their guys ride it out. The data showed that both these players are more likely to stay in the game than they are foul out. Budenholzer needs to be better in this category because it’s not the Bucks will avoid foul trouble moving forward.
The second part speaks to the rotation issues that everyone and I have a problem with the first two games. Milwaukee is not playing their starting lineup enough. Why? Well again, Budenholzer is playing 10 or 11 deep on the roster versus just sticking to eight or nine at most. There needs to be some scaling back. If that actually happens in Game 3, it’s unknown.
We plead with Budenholzer to be different but it’s likely that the stubbornness will continue into Game 3.
Charlie.