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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: RAPTORS VS. BUCKS

May 17, 2019

Mike Budenholzer

Milwaukee, Wisconsin - Postgame 2

Bucks - 125, Raptors - 103

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think the way we played on both ends of the court in the first half is what we're trying to get to. To come out and start Game 2 with that kind of effort on both ends of the court, it's what you're looking for. I think a hiccup for us in the third quarter; we've got to be better. But I think we righted the ship and were able to finish the game.

We've just got to keep working, keep thinking about getting better.

Q. To elaborate on the start a little bit, the building is obviously very electric as it's been for you guys all year. When Giannis starts the game with a dunk, a block and another dunk all in the first 45 seconds, can you script a better way to get your team and this building going?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: No. Was it Bill Walsh that started scripting plays in the NFL? To script those first three possessions -- and the blocked shot, to me, is the one that stands out. I think when Giannis is active and protecting the paint, protecting the rim -- he plays so hard. He lays it all on the line all the time. It was a great start for us. I think everybody fed off of Giannis and how he started the game. Niko [Mirotic] obviously had a good start. It's how you want to come into a Game 2 or how you want to start a Game 2.

Q. Ersan Ilyasova tonight obviously had a strong performance. During the second quarter when the game was still in the balance, he really sort of took over. When did you see from Ersan tonight?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, it was fabulous. It was clearly his best game of the year, and in a big moment for Ersan to step up. He's such a pro. We've been together for a few years now. I have so much confidence and faith and trust in him. He hits tough shots, and everything he does defensively. The whole bench, you look at George [Hill] and Malcolm [Brogdon] and just the production we're getting from our bench. I think Pat [Pat Connaughton] does a lot of things that help us win, too. So I think the bench continues to be a real strength for us. Ersan just was off the charts tonight.

Q. Eric Bledsoe has seemed to be struggling in these first two games. Tell me what you say to him to help him get his confidence back?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think Eric is confident. He's just got to keep shooting, keep playing. The things he does for us defensively. I think he had seven assists tonight. I think there's so much more to the sport than just scoring and/or making shots. Of course, every time he shoots it I want it to go in, but there are so many things Eric Bledsoe is doing for us that's positive. We're winning. We're up 2-0 in the Eastern Conference Finals and Bled is a big part of that. He's confident. He's ready to go.

We'll just tell him keep shooting, keep playing, keep doing what he's been doing.

Q. They cut it down to 13, you guys get a timeout, get a stop, and then I think it goes to Malcolm to Bucket, Malcolm to George, Malcolm to George, how big were those two for you guys specifically off the bench?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, that little stretch, I think we've had a couple spurts, including Game 1 late, where we're able to get a stop and then we're able to get out and play quick in transition. Tonight it was George that was kind of the recipient of it. Malcolm got the dunk the other night when it was close in the fourth quarter. Those stops and quick scores on the other end, those are what we're looking for. It's hard to score on anybody in the playoffs in the half court, so if we can get out and run and get those easy ones.

We weren't great in the third quarter, so it'll be an opportunity for us to look at it and see how we can get better. But that stretch in transition was really good.

Q. Sort of just dovetailing off that, Game 1, Toronto really contained George holding him scoreless and 13 off the bench tonight. Between these two games what did you see as the biggest difference for him?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: George was aggressive tonight. I think he got a couple layups. It's always good when you get a couple layups. Just like the other night, Brook got a few layups and got some put-backs and things like that. It just builds your confidence. But George had played at such a high level for four, five straight games. He was so important and so good in the Boston series. He didn't have his best game in Game 1, but I think his mentality coming into Game 2 tonight was great. I think it carried over to the court. He was very good along with the other guys.

Q. You guys forced the Raptors into a lot of long twos, contested jump shots tonight. What were you guys doing better defensively in this game?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I thought we got better in Game 1 toward the end. The fourth quarter, our defense got better. And I think some of that carried over into the first half. You get a little bit of a rhythm. Our guards on the ball, taking individual pride doing what we need them to do. And then the activity from the bigs. Just all that kind of working in concert. Making every shot they take tough, whether it's a three, a two, in the paint. No matter where it is, we want them taking tough shots.

Q. It seemed like Niko finally found a rhythm offensively, especially in that first half. But a lot of times his defense goes unnoticed, getting his hands in the passing lanes, guarding smaller guards like Danny Green. How big is he defensively for you guys?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, it's been great. I think it's been a theme now for a few games or coming off the last series now into this one. I don't know what the right word is, but I think he's just taking a lot of pride and showing that he can guard different positions and guard wings and shooters and chase guys. He's doing little things in transition, getting back, finding shooters. He's just got like an edge to him that I think has been good for our team. We need him to continue to do that.

Q. Can you put into words just given your experience how challenging is it for a guy to come back into a playoff situation like Malcolm has, have it physically and mentally, from a conditioning standpoint and really just fit right back into where he left off?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I feel fortunate to have been around a lot of good teams. I can't think of a guy that's emerged in the second round in a game, I think, four and five and now into one and two that's almost come back and almost picked up right where he left off. He was so good for us all year -- 90, 50, 40 [shooting percentages], does so many good things. I think certainly from my perspective what he's been able to do, I just thought, if we can just get him back going -- he's exceeded all of our expectations. He's done it all year, and he's such a pro. I guess it's what we expect from Malcolm.

Q. When you look up and down this roster, so many guys that can dribble, pass and shoot. Is that kind of what you envision when you're looking at the rotation, and how difficult is that for other teams to game plan and guard against?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: We want guys that are basketball players that have high IQs that can do, like you said, dribble, pass, shoot, can make reads, make decisions. We try to develop them. We try and empower them. We try to play a way where they all feel like they can contribute and do things. Hopefully that's paying off for us, and guys appreciate it. I think they grow and develop here. Giannis and Khris and Bled, they do a great job of empowering their teammates, trusting their teammates and letting their teammates play. It's what they've done all year, and we need it to continue.

Q. You said after Game 1 you weren't going to change the way that you played in the playoffs. You wanted the guys to keep shooting, to keep playing the way that you want them to play. In the playoffs, though, usually we see rotations shorten, we see more isolation basketball, and you haven't done that. Does a game like tonight give you confidence that that approach is the right approach and can work in these big games?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: We're going to lose some games, and we're going to keep doing what we've been doing all year. You can't just base it on the results. Obviously, tonight was a huge positive. The guys have learned a way to play. They believe in it. We believe in it. And the more positive results you get, sure, it reinforces it. It just lets them know that nothing is going to change. I think we'll just continue that going into Game 3, win or lose, going into Game 4. Everybody has built their habits. Everybody to some degree is who they are. Now you've just got to just go out and execute and do what you've been doing.

Q. On a night when Giannis has 30 and 17, I'm sure there were some shots he'd like back. What's it like to coach a guy where 30 and 17 is a good night but there's more there still?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I'm beyond fortunate to have Giannis. It's how you describe it is true. He's incredible, and then you're like, I think he can be even better. The great part about Giannis is he wants to be better. We're coaching him and we're on him. We think he can be doing more, and he just soaks it up. It's just so unique to have a player like that that just wants to be great and you feel like has more, and yet he's been phenomenal. It's exciting for us for tonight and going forward. You can't say enough good things about Giannis.

Q. You mentioned the third quarter; what's the challenge headed into Game 3? They can't afford to go down 3-0, so from your vantage point, what you guys need to guard against? What is that challenge?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, in a strange way I think looking at the third quarter tonight to see how they end up with 39 points, that's just a huge quarter. Where did we break down, where were we not as good as we need to be, and hopefully that'll give us a little bit of a road map to what to expect in Game 3. We're always looking for ways to get better, and we want to stay hungry and we want to go out there and continue to just focus on our defense, make that our identity and see what happens in Game 3.

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