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Monday 20 January 2020 08:57, UK
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said he feels like he is in "basketball heaven" with his team ahead of their Paris showdown with the Charlotte Hornets.
The Bucks (38-6) are the runaway leaders in the Eastern Conference and have a firm grip on the No 1 seed entering the second half of the regular season. Their superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is on track to successfully defend the Most Valuable Player award he won for the first time last season.
Speaking to British basketball journalist Mark Woods, Budenholzer admitted he couldn't be happier with his team ahead of their trip to Europe.
"I tell people it is basketball heaven," he said. "Just a great team with a great player in Giannis. Everybody around him is playing really well and playing together. It is an exciting team, one that guards and defends. I feel incredibly fortunate."
Budenholzer, who coached the Atlanta Hawks when they faced the Brooklyn Nets at London's O2 Arena in January 2014, is excited to return to Europe and believes the experience will be beneficial for his players.
"It is exciting to go back to Europe, to Paris, and hopefully show them some good basketball," he said.
"It is great - the more time our players spend together, including in a new environment [where they can] learn a little bit about the culture in Paris and France. [They can] do things that are little bit different and get out of their comfort zone. Players always grow and learn from that. We are excited about doing it."
Woods, who conducted his interview with Budenholzer on a recent trip to the States, spent time with the Bucks and joined Sky Sports Heatcheck to give his own impressions of the team.
"What [the Bucks] like in their locker room is the consistency they have night after night," he said. "The fulcrum is Giannis, he is having another MVP season. The execution that they have is very similar game after game. They spread the floor offensively and the three-pointer is their No 1 option - Giannis is able to go inside and be the disruptor or kick the ball to the outside. They don't change much."
Will Milwaukee's regular-season form translate to the playoffs?
"They are quietly confident," said Woods. "They are built for the regular season but the postseason is much more specific. When they shoot the three-point well, they are a match for every team. All of their six losses this season have come when their opponent has shot a better three-point percentage than them.
"When you get to the playoffs, coaches are much more focused on taking away your strengths and maximising your weaknesses. Then it becomes that much more difficult. We have seen that with the Houston Rockets in the playoffs the last few years - winning big in the regular season, getting to the postseason and not being able to get over the line.
"The challenge for the Bucks is, 'have you got other options in your locker by the time we get to May and June?'"
Woods also revealed the Bucks players are enthused about their trip to Europe.
"The players are very excited about coming over, he said. "Giannis and his brother Thanasis were telling me about the number of ticket requests they've had from Greece.
"For coaches, it is trickier but [the game] is a showcase for the league and they understand what a big opportunity it is for some players to come back and see friends and family they normally see once a year.
"Enjoy the ride, it is a big night in Paris and we are all looking forward to it."
