Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer has been named a finalist for the 2020 NBA Coach of the Year, an award he should win outright.
The NBA’s official Coach of the Year award is known as the Red Auerbach Award. On August 8th, it was announced that the Milwaukee Bucks’ Mike Budenholzer, the Oklahoma City Thunder’s Billy Donovan, and the Toronto Raptors’ Nick Nurse, were named as this year’s finalists.
While both Donovan and Nurse have performed admirably under unique circumstances, it’s Budenholzer who has guided his team to the top seed in the playoffs despite the bullseye on their backs coming into this season.
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After a disappointing loss in last year’s Eastern Conference Finals, most analysts are predicting a breakout postseason for the Bucks this year. Holding the top seed in the East, the team looks poised to overcome last year’s upset and reach the Finals for the first time since 1974.
The Thunder, on the other hand, are a surprise altogether. After trading away their two best players in the off-season, no one predicted they would make this year’s playoffs. However, under the leadership of Chris Paul, the team has surprised everyone and secured a spot in the postseason.
On August 3rd the NBA Coaches Association recognized Budenholzer and Donovan as co-Coaches of the Year. However, further examination shows that when it comes to coaching prowess this season, Mike Budenholzer stands alone.
Last year, in his first season in Milwaukee, Budenholzer led the Bucks to the best record in the league. Having the league’s MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo, on the roster was a tremendous factor, but the team hadn’t seen significant roster changes from the 2018 season to the 2019 season. What was the biggest difference?