NBA FINALS: BUCKS VS. SUNS

July 8, 2021

Mike Budenholzer

Milwaukee Bucks

Game 2: Pregame

Q. I think today might be three years ago when Brook Lopez signed. I know you guys were all kind of starting then. Can you think of where you are now and how his game has changed, what you've asked him to do, compared to the guy that was coming here on that one-year deal, 10 years into his career?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I mean, Brook has been crucial to the success, and for us being able to play in this moment. He's just been such a big part of the winning, the way -- just to see the way his teammates respond to him and the way he's there for them. I didn't know the kind of human being that we were getting.

It's just, it's hard to -- you're around us some, but for three years, it's been off the charts. Jon Horst, the vision to think and to bring him in and to make him such an important part of our group, yeah, it's a big day.

And I think the thing about Brook, I think he's shown that he can shoot and space the court, and just the variety or the versatility, even in just the last two, three, four weeks, he does whatever we ask him to do. He's just so talented.

So, yeah, I think that's one of the underrated, understated parts of who we've been the last three years. Yeah, he's a special player. He's been a huge part of what we do.

Q. Same starters for you tonight?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yes.

Q. When you look at this team, it feels like they have gotten comfortable being down. That doesn't mean they tried to lose Game 1 or anything like that, but they are comfortable in this moment. What about this team makes them able to handle it?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I think just the disposition of the whole group. It kind of starts with Giannis and Khris, I think they are very confident but at the same time kind of quiet and workmanlike.

So, I think they believe in it the work they have put in. They believe in their teammates. They believe in just everything we're doing.

And they have been through quite a bit, and so I think all that kind of builds up the confidence and a belief that if you don't win a game, then you learn from that and you go to the next one and try and be better.

Q. With Jrue being such a good individual defender, how do you make the choice of whether he's on Devin Booker or Chris Paul?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Definitely, he's so gifted and talented but then you have the same thing with P.J. Tucker and Giannis and Brook behind, so you always try to mix-and-match and see if you can find kind of that right combo, and also give them both chances on lots of different guys.

But yeah, you feel fortunate just to even have that conversation.

Q. When you were mentioning yesterday the talk with your father about a full-court press, do you ever listen long enough or deep enough that he tells you where you can put Giannis? I imagine he could be a pretty good weapon in that role.

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, no, I think he's just more philosophically within -- I don't know that he's told me exactly where Giannis should be in the press, but maybe that could be my next question tonight.

Q. Giannis getting 11 shots in Game 1, was that a product of anything that the Suns were doing or anything you would have liked to have seen your team do more in terms of getting him involved more? And what, if anything, did Phoenix do to keep you guys out of transition, or keep you out of transition more than you would have liked in that first game?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, you know, I think Giannis read the game pretty well. I do think we can be better executing, hopefully get him to better positions, better spots, maybe more opportunities. But he's also very unselfish and a playmaker, and so I think that was a pretty good balance of that. But I think we can be better.

I think there was a real emphasis for both teams, probably they were better in transition offense than we were in transition defense in the first half, and we've got to try and flip that script. See if we can be better in transition offense. But you've got to get more stops, you've got to rebound, get out and go, take care of the ball. So, I think both teams are making it a priority, and we've got to be better kind of on both ends of that transition game.

Q. This is such a different atmosphere, just the way practice time is sort of scheduled for and you all the availabilities. I was wondering how much your time with the Spurs even as an assistant has helped you plan and manage the days during the Finals so far?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I think any time you're fortunate enough to be around and see this process -- I guess you guys do it every year. But as players and an organization, it's good to have a little bit of experience; and so to draw on that, Darvin [Ham], a couple of my other assistants have kind of seen it and been through it. I think it's a little bit helpful. I don't think it's that big a deal but it helps.

Q. I don't think we asked you about this, but when Khris and Jrue committed to Team USA during the Eastern Conference Finals, they talked about their kind of having to think about it. Curious, did they ask you about it? What were your thoughts of them just sort of having to make that call as you guys are in this kind of process, and maybe what it means to them to go over there?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I think that was -- they kind of went about that process, I would say mostly on their own and I was very excited and happy for them. I think those opportunities are rare. They are great players. I think they love playing. As the players say, they love hooping and get to go play some more, and I think their focus is where it should be right now. I think they are in a good place. I think it's an incredible opportunity for them and excited, and looking forward to seeing them be a part of Team USA.

Q. With Saric being out, do you plan on going more at Ayton to try and draw him into foul trouble? How does it change your plans?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Ayton for most of the time is I think matching up with Giannis, and so I think every night we play, we try and get Giannis in attack mode and go to him. And so tonight won't be that much different. We want Giannis attacking and playing. You know, so I think we just want to play our game. It's unfortunate to miss a player, but I think for us, I think offensively, we want to kind of stick with what we do, and Giannis in attack mode, Jrue in attack mode, Khris, great spacing, those types of things. Hopefully we make it hard on them and Ayton and whoever else they use.

Q. And of course you want to be more aggressive and get more foul shots?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: Yeah, I think we always talk about the aggressive team gets rewarded, really in all ways. So, I think to have an aggressive mindset is a good place to play and start from.

Q. What is your biggest point of emphasis going into this Game 2?

MIKE BUDENHOLZER: You know, I think we just need to keep playing, keep learning, keep improving, keep getting better. It's not like there's just one thing on either side that is going to be the magic pill. I think we've got to learn and grow and get better, you know, from game-to-game, so that's what we are looking for tonight.