NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

June 30, 2021

Mike Budenholzer

Milwaukee Bucks

Practice Day

Q. First just your initial reaction to Giannis's diagnosis?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think considering the range for him and for his health, pretty positive and we'll just take it day-by-day and see how he's doing.

Q. We understand he's listed as doubtful for tomorrow; doubtful, as in out. What sort of things are you guys looking for in order to make that final decision one way or the other for Game 5?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I think we should have our medical director come and speak to you. You guys got the bum, the coach, to talk to you.

I think a lot of this is happening in real time, and I think it would be just best to leave it as he's questionable and Giannis is going to do everything he can to be available. You know, we are going to put his health and safety first and together make good decisions.

Q. I'll happily take the medical director, but thanks.

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I'm guessing he's running to the car and unavailable.

Q. We've all seen some falls in our years in the league; that is one of the nastier ones I think I've seen. How relieved are you that you don't have a torn ACL or a torn MCL whatever it might be, something torn in that knee, when that fall was kind of like so violent?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I think that's why when you talk about the range of possibilities, you know, I think where this has landed has to be looked at as a positive. It's still a really difficult fall. A lot of what you just described, you know, worried for both players, for Capela and obviously Giannis both.

It's, I guess part of sport. It's part of the playoffs. You know, we'll manage it both from a Giannis perspective, from a team's perspective, and we've just got to keep moving, get ready for Game 5.

Q. You mentioned it last night. Giannis does not ever want to stay off the floor. He wants to play at all times. You guys went through this last year obviously having him sit out Game 5 against the Heat. But how do you try to -- I guess you have to protect him from himself in some ways, at least possibly going down this decision-making tree?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think the good thing for Giannis, you know, he's such a smart guy. He's incredibly committed to his teammates and incredibly committed to being there and wanting to play, but I think between he and the medical group, he and [Bucks GM] Jon Horst, he and myself, there's such a trust. There's a high level of trust, a high level of respect, and there's good, healthy conversations and that's how you make good decisions. We expect this to be the same. Not easy, but the same.

Q. What is it that you focus on in a game without him? Say you don't have him tomorrow, what do you circle and say: This is what we have to do well to win without Giannis on the floor?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Hopefully there's a way that we play both with Giannis and without Giannis. We talk about ball movement and people movement and playing free, playing organically. Those things probably become even more important. We've got a lot of talent, so I think just let the guys play. Put them in a comfort level and put them in a comfortable spot and let them go play basketball, not over-complicated. We've played games without Giannis, without Khris, without Jrue, without whoever it may be, and so hopefully you have a structure and a system where you can function at a high level on both ends of the court no matter who is playing.

Q. Khris’ usage is high pretty much across the board whether Giannis is in our out, but it feels like Jrue is the one that sees the jump when Giannis is out, that it's going to be more of Jrue with ball in his hands. What do you want to see from him with that added responsibility?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, he's just got to make good decisions. Play good basketball. He may have to score. But I think when he penetrates and get to the paint, good things happen for the team, good things happen for him.

Game 1, I think he had 33, and you know, bunch of assists, and he's very, very capable. So I think that's the thing that gives you a lot of confidence is a lot of really good players, a lot of guys that have confidence and a skill set that can just be themselves.

Q. I just first wanted to clarify. I think you had said he's questionable earlier in this conversation. The release says doubtful. He's doubtful for tomorrow's game; is that correct?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Definitely do not trust the coach. Whatever the release said is what it is.

Q. Doubtful.

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Doubtful.

Q. The last two games, you have gotten off to a slow start and had to come back. Game 3, you were able to; Game 4, not so much. What do you think has caused the slow starts and how much more critical is it going to be going into Game 5 not to dig yourself into that deep a hole when there's a likelihood that you won't have Giannis with you?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, it's interesting, because you see games go every direction. You start poorly and you win. You start well, you give up a big lead. So many different things can happen. So unequivocally, we'd like to start well. We'd like to play well out of the gate. You really need to play well for 48 minutes in a playoff game. But I don't think you can overreact to either.

I think the crowd, being at home and having the energy and the excitement and the way our crowd gets into it, the way they support us, I think the way they are going to be behind us, you know, is going to be helpful. We're excited to be coming home for a Game 5 and getting the crowd into it, getting the crowd rocking and go play. Have some fun. Play some basketball.

Q. You mentioned you've played games without Giannis. I think at the time, depending on the matchup, it was Bobby [Portis] or Pat [Connaughton], but in the playoffs, your bench obviously is much shorter. At that time you also had Donte [DiVincenzo]. Have you decided, I guess, on that? Is it still really just the moment of, because your opponent is not going to change like it was in the regular season. Or will it go up to game time or do you have an idea that it might just be Bobby because he's a big and Giannis has been a big, that type of thing?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, we're beating it up, talking about it as a coaching staff, and there's different directions you can go and then how it impacts you throughout managing the 48 minutes. So you know, at some point, you've got to pull the trigger and make a decision. You know, we'll probably do that and then we'll probably tell you we don't know who we are playing and planning on starting and all that, and then at tip-off or whatever, you guys will get it. It's kind of the normal routine.

Q. We asked the players about this; is there some benefit to have gone through nine games without him earlier? I know P.J. is a new person, so for Pat and Bobby and Bryn [Forbes], they have sort of lived this to a degree. Can you draw on that at all or is it just completely different because it's the stage and the rotations are -- have changed?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think you can draw on it, definitely. I actually haven't looked specifically to see how many games it was this year, and I think during the course of the last three years, it's the normal, you know, kind of the NBA. You play games without certain players, and I think those are important games and it's important to learn and draw on them.

You know, so yeah, certainly I think tomorrow, subconsciously or consciously, I think all of us will know. We've played without Giannis, and I think even there's been good stretches when Giannis is not on the court; he's actually playing the game but we can maintain and sustain or build leads and things like that. All that I think you draw on.

Q. Previously, whether it's Giannis or another person is out, you talk about not overcompensating, and people just playing their games, not trying to make up for whoever is out. How do you communicate that in this situation or is it a general understanding of these are our principles?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think we probably just rely on our habits, rely on kind of the way we've played and not be hopefully overcomplicated and put people in a position to play and be themselves and put a lot of confidence and belief in them. So you do that during the regular season, you do it today or tomorrow, and it's something that I think gives the players their best chance to play well, and that's what we need to do.

Q. I know you don't like to speak for other people or the players or anything like that, but what's the general consensus of the rest of the team right now and how are they doing? There’s two things: they are worried about the teammate, but also worried about the game; where is everybody with that?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: I think there's a level of understanding of that, and of preparation, the mental preparation, emotional and things like that. You know, it's a veteran group. It's really a very highly intelligent group, and a competitive group that I think embraces every opportunity they get. All those things will serve them well.

Q. Building off of that, I know that you probably can't speak for Giannis and kind of the emotions that he's felt over the last 24 hours, but what have you observed about how he was feeling last night to receiving the news today, and have you had an opportunity to speak with him? Is he relieved to know that he might have an opportunity to play in the postseason again?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, he and I have not spoken in the last probably hour or two. His maturity always impresses me, his understanding, his desire to play, his desire to kind of fight through and be there for his teammates. You know, it's been the same, including last night in the locker room and on the plane. He's a pretty incredible competitor and teammate and he's been very much like that.

And his spirit, I think it affects the group. He's a guy that lifts people up, and I think including during these, it's hard, the fall, the injury, missing the second half. But amazingly, Giannis finds a way to lift people up, and that's one much his special skills, one of his special qualities.

Q. What have the emotions been like for you in the last 12-plus hours fearing that you may have lost your two-time MVP?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, you go through a lot. It's the playoffs. You lose a game, you win a game. So many things happen throughout the course of a seven-game series, round to round, all those things. I don't want to say it's the norm, but the ride is part of what makes it sweet, and you get excited about figuring out how to help your group and put them in a good spot and go out and play and compete.

Q. I know what you were saying about guys sticking to their habits and knowing their roles, but in circumstances like this, how helpful to the cause and how helpful to teammates would it be for someone to say, "Hey, I got this," and step up in a way that maybe we wouldn't expect? Not that you would ever tap someone on the head and say you've got to do it, but would you expect that someone would try to do that and it might not be a bad thing in this circumstance?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: You know, I respect the question, understand the question, and you know, sometimes I would just put this in the context of leadership. There's so many different ways to lead, and I think there's a perception that you do it this one way. In this case, for somebody to step up and say, I got this and do it, it may sound good, and it may happen.

But I think your actions are most important. You know, how you handle yourself tomorrow morning in preparing and getting ready for the game. We just need our guys to prepare and get ready to play and go play. If somebody feels the need to lead and to speak, they will.

But there's lot of different ways guys can get step and be prepared and be ready. I fully expect all of them will.

Q. Do you have a sense that your players particularly look to you and your coaches in this sort of situation to, "Hey, give us some things we can hang our hats on"?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: They are always I think just looking for some guidance, looking for just opportunities to put them in their best positions and confidence and things like that. So, you know, certainly the staff, myself have got to do those things, give them a little bit to hang their hats on, to give them a plan and then kind of keep them free and let them play.