Preparing for Giannis Antetokounmpo kept Mike Budenholzer up at night.
Now Rigoberto Sanchez Jersey , one of the NBAr17;s budding superstars will be on Budenholzerr17;s side after the former Atlanta Hawks coach was formally introduced on Monday as the new leader of the Milwaukee Bucks.
r1;It was miserable coaching against him and Ir17;m so happy to be (saying), `34r17;s on my team?r1;r17; Budenholzer said, referring to Antetokounmpor17;s jersey number. r1;Thatr17;s like really cool.
r1;Her17;s a nightmare to coach against, to game-plan, to figure out how you can keep him away from the basket.r1;
No need to worry about that anymore. But Budenholzerr17;s experience with building strong defensive teams in Atlanta should come in handy for Milwaukee.
The 48-year-old Budenholzer went 213-197 in five seasons with the Hawks. Budenholzer was named the NBA coach of the year in 2015, when he led the Hawks to a franchise-record 60 wins and an appearance in the Eastern Conference finals. The Hawks held foes to 97.1 points per game and 36 percent shooting that season.
Atlanta went an Eastern Conference-worst 24-58 this season. But they were rarely blown out, losing 21 games by fewer than 10 points and only seven by 20 or more points.
Atlanta is rebuilding. Budenholzer now takes over a team moving into a new downtown arena that is in position to challenge for a top-four seed in the East next year r11; especially if it can play more consistent defense.
r1;I think with the individual talents we have in Milwaukee r30; I think one of the words I used in the interview process was Lerentee McCray Jersey , `How can we unlock this talent defensively?r1;r17; Budenholzer said. r1;I just think therer17;s so much to work with.r1;
Start with the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo, whose length and athleticism make him a threat on both ends of the floor. Khris Middleton has grown into a good two-way player, while Eric Bledsoe and Malcolm Brogdon provide toughness at point guard.
The Bucks are coming off a 44-win season and third playoff appearance in four years. They also allowed 106.8 points a game and had problems with rebounding and defending the 3-point line, and coach Jason Kidd was fired at midseason.
In Budenholzer, they got an experienced coach with a track record of developing players and a resume that traces back to a 17-year stint as an assistant with the San Antonio Spurs. San Antonio won four NBA titles while Budenholzer was there.
r1;Finding the right person, the right fit for this team r30; to help this group take the next step was paramount,r1; general manager Jon Horst said. r1;Ultimately after going through the process T.J. Lang Jersey , it was clear that Bud was the right guy to do that.r1;
Budenholzer said players would be able to understand his defensive principles quickly, which would help in r1;freeing them up to be great on that side of the court.r1;
The details are still being worked out. Her17;s barely been on the job for five days, and her17;s hoping that most of his staff from Atlanta follows him to Milwaukee. Budenholzer hasnr17;t even met the whole team.
But he has had breakfast already with the Bucksr17; two best players, Middleton and Antetokounmpo. Building a solid relationship with Antetokounmpo, especially, might be his one of his most important tasks for now.
r1;And those conversations, I look forward to having with Giannis and listening to Giannis too. Her17;s a smart player Brian Dawkins Jersey ,r1; Budenholzer said. r1;I think together, he and I will probably push each other. But I look forward to pushing him. He believes it, I believe it. Her17;s going to get a lot better.r1;
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All eyes are on New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who's dealing with a hand injury he sustained in practice on Wednesday after colliding with an unnamed teammate. The injury took place just four days before their upcoming AFC Championship appearance against the Jacksonville Jaguars.According to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport, Brady suffered a cut on his thumb that caused blood to gash out, and stitches were required to close the wound. Brady had a very brief session with media members, and refused to speak about his hand and details of the injury.But according to R.J. Bell - the founder of the Pregame.com sports betting website - Brady's hand injury may be worse Tyler Kroft Jersey , and the line could drop considerably:Multiple private sources telling me ...Tom Brady's hand injury is WORSE than the mainstream thinks.(I would not be surprised if #Patriots drop to -7 in the near-term.)r12; RJ Bell (@RJinVegas) January 19, 2018Brady has been officially listed as questionable for the AFC Championship Game, and said "We'll see," when asked if he could play Sunday. The five-time Super Bowl champion is also dealing with a shoulder and achilles injury, so it's unknown if he'll be at full strength and health on Sunday.The Patriots are going to need their star quarterback to be at his best in the AFC Championship. The Jaguars own arguably the NFL's best defense. They finished second in yards allowed per game, scoring defence and sacks (55). The cornerback duo of A.J. Bouye and Jalen Ramsey was by far the best in 2017. George King Jersey ,
