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NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: RAPTORS VS. BUCKS

May 18, 2019

Mike Budenholzer

Toronto, Ontario - Practice Day, Canada

Q. You had talked about before the game that Game 1 of the Celtics series reminded you of Game 1 of this Raptors series. I know after Game 1 of the Celtics series you had mentioned execution, running the floor, I guess a number of things that relate to execution. I'm curious what you thought of your team's execution in those areas last night.
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I thought there was noticeable improvement, both defensively and offensively. Obviously I think the first half, if we can kind of match that and play at that level on both ends -- I think when we're good defensively, it really fuels us offensively. I think there was noticeable improvement and steps forward. And then as always, there are areas you look at the film where we can improve and get better.

Q. What are some of those places that you've seen this team improve on the defensive end? Is there anything that stands out for you that's kind of evolved as the playoffs have gone on?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I would say the team has been very good defensively all year. I think it may be doing it with more focus, with more attention to detail, for more of the 48 minutes, with a couple blips. We've had some quarters, we've had some games where we haven't been where we want to be, but I think overall the entirety of the playoffs, I just think there's been good attention to detail. More often than not the activity and the competitiveness and the individual pride that we need to be good defensively has been in a good place. But we can't rest, we can't relax, we can't assume anything. We've got to continue to do those things going forward.

Q. I know we talked about before the series getting Malcolm [Brogdon] game reps and I think he's been fantastic so far in the series and probably exceeded expectations, but for him is there a number of minutes you want to try to get him up to? Is there a spot where all of a sudden he becomes a starter? I guess how do you see Malcolm's role kind of evolving as he comes back from this injury and this series progresses?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think as you've said in your question, I think the way he played and just how good he's been, it was a positive impact he's had on both ends. I guess you should never say exceeded expectations because we have such high expectations of everybody. But considering coming off the injury, he's done that. He's been really, really good, and you just don't expect that after a guy hasn't played for six weeks or more.

As far as his role evolving and his minutes, I think the phrase I keep using is we want to be sensible and logical in bringing him back off an injury and a significant period of time without playing. Just keep him healthy. Keep him feeling good everywhere -- just his entire body, mentally, physically in a good place. He's going to do whatever is needed for the team to win, and his minutes, whatever it takes, we'll do. Wherever we need him, we'll put him. I think it's that time of year, and everybody understands that.

Q. I know you weren't here last year, but Malcolm struggled a little bit coming back from injury in the postseason. Do you think he learned from that? Are there things he was able to apply this time that made him able to transition more smoothly?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I haven't really talked about it. Some people have shared with me not a lot of detail but just kind of a general rough picture. I always say when you've done something, you learn from it. You grow from it and you're better prepared for it the next time it happens. I know going through the process of him finally becoming available and playing for the first time, he's a very, very thoughtful person and doesn't do anything without just kind of deep thought on a lot of different levels. When he did play, I think he felt like he was ready. He's done all the things that he felt like he needed to do. Hopefully we provided him with an environment in five-on-five and all of the great work our medical team does to get him to a position where he felt confident coming back for the first time.

But the short answer, I'm sure he learned and is better for having gone through this last year.

Q. You mentioned the attention to detail and the little things and the focus. How important are those little things when you're playing the same opponent over and over again, and then especially when you're going into a rather hostile environment like a road game in a playoff series?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I think one of the things when we think about it is not to ever become bored or not completely engaged with the details and the repetitiveness of playing the same team again. It'll be Game 3 and we both know each other well, and sometimes that can actually do the opposite and you don't stay as engaged to the details and remember how important it is. But our group has been good. Even though there is a familiarity, you can't relax. You can't let up. You just have to continue to have the same focus and elite attention to detail. And when we don't, they make us pay.

Q. With Khris [Middleton] last night, he picks up those five fouls. I know you're always trying to find that balance between physical and not picking up fouls. How do you try to get him through that and try to help him through that with such a difficult cover like Kawhi [Leonard]?
MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I do think that walking that line of physicality and defending without fouling is -- Khris has got a great challenge, and I would say we like the physicality he's bringing to the game. We watched the film. There were a couple where I think -- a little bit off the previous question -- just that attention to detail and remembering just all the little things where he maybe got caught for a couple that we would certainly hope that he could defend without any of those types of fouls. And then there are a couple where his physicality is needed. There's contact and things that happen in the course of a game, and he's going to have some of those.

So if he could play a whole game and not have any of those either, just slight getting beat or not being in the right spot, that would be great. But I would say overall his physicality and what he's bringing to this matchup and this challenge is in a really, really good place, despite the five fouls yesterday.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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