Bucks and Budenholzer part ways after early playoff exit

Milwaukee Bucks have fired coach Mike Budenholzer a little over a week after their stunning first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat, which spoiled a season where  they owned the NBA’s best record.

Budenholzer’s firing comes just two years after he led the Bucks to their first NBA title in half a century.

“The decision to make this change was very difficult,” Bucks general manager Jon Horst said Thursday in a statement announcing the move. “Bud helped lead our team for five incredible seasons, to the Bucks’ first title in 50 years, and into an era of sustained success. We are grateful for the culture of winning and leadership that Bud helped create in Milwaukee.

The Milwaukee Bucks part ways with head coach Mike Budenholzer. https://t.co/sF1awvROtf

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“This is an opportunity for us to refocus and re-energize our efforts as we continue building toward our next championship season.”

The Bucks posted the most combined regular-season and playoff wins of any team during Budenholzer’s tenure and had the league’s best regular-season record in three of his five seasons on the job. He posted a 271-120 regular-season record and 39-26 playoff mark in Milwaukee.