The Milwaukee Bucks have fired head coach Mike Budenholzer, based on ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The transfer comes every week after the No. 1 seed Bucks have been eradicated in 5 video games by the No. 8 seed Miami Warmth within the first spherical of the 2023 NBA Playoffs. Budenholzer helped lead the franchise to its second ever NBA championship in 2021 when Milwaukee defeated the Phoenix Suns in six video games within the NBA Finals.

The Bucks have been thought-about the championship favorites heading into the playoffs this 12 months. As a substitute, they turned the primary No. 1 seed to ever solely win one sport in a primary spherical collection. Celebrity ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo was injured throughout Sport 1 of the collection, however returned to play in Sport 4 and Sport 5, each of which Milwaukee misplaced.

Budenholzer gained 69.3 % of his video games throughout his 5 seasons as head coach of the Bucks, amassing a 391-271 general file.

Budenholzer discovered his brother died in a automobile accident earlier than Sport 4 of the primary spherical collection towards the Warmth, based on The Athletic.

The Bucks went from a fringe playoff staff to an Jap Convention energy after hiring Budenholzer forward of the 2018-2019 season. Budenholzer turned a 44-win staff right into a 60-win staff in his first 12 months, and helped Antetokounmpo flip in his first of consecutive MVP runs. The Bucks’ large addition for the Bud period was signing free agent middle Brook Lopez forward of his first season. Milwaukee was up 2-0 on the Toronto Raptors within the 2019 Jap Convention Finals, however misplaced 4 straight video games to finish their season.

The Bucks have been the No. 1 seed within the East subsequent 12 months, however their momentum was stalled by the worldwide pandemic. Milwaukee was then upset within the second spherical of the 2020 NBA Playoffs contained in the bubble by the Miami Warmth.

Milwaukee lastly broke via the subsequent 12 months after buying and selling for guard Jrue Vacation following the catastrophe within the bubble. They outlasted Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets in a traditional seven-game collection within the second spherical, and defeated the Suns in six video games within the 2021 NBA Finals. Antetokounmpo had a masterpiece within the championship clincher, placing up 50 factors and making so many clutch free throws.

The final two seasons have featured poor harm luck for Milwaukee. The Bucks have been with out All-Star ahead Khris Middleton after they have been eradicated within the second spherical towards the Boston Celtics within the 2022 playoffs. Antetokounmpo’s harm performed an element of their first spherical exit within the 2023 playoffs.

The 2 most memorable moments for Budenholzer’s Bucks got here in the course of the championship run in 2021. Giannis made this superb block in Sport 4:

In Sport 5, Vacation acquired a steal and threw an alley-oop to Giannis to safe the victory:

The Bucks at all times had nice groups beneath Budenholzer, but it surely felt just like the franchise had no selection however to fireside him after their collapse within the 2023 playoffs. The Bucks’ offense had a historical past of getting stagnant for an extended stretches beneath Budenholzer, and it lastly value him his job when it occurred towards Miami. Budenholzer made quite a few teaching errors within the collection, from by no means altering up his coverages on Warmth star Jimmy Butler, to failing to name timeouts on the finish regulation and in time beyond regulation in the course of the Sport 5 loss.

The Bucks are going to really feel totally different subsequent 12 months with out Budenholzer. We’ll see what adjustments are in retailer subsequent for Milwaukee.