Preparing for Giannis Antetokounmpo kept Mike Budenholzer up at night.
Now
Giants Saquon Barkley Jersey , one of the NBA’s budding superstars will be on Budenholzer’s side after the former Atlanta Hawks coach was formally introduced on Monday as the new leader of the Milwaukee Bucks.
”It was miserable coaching against him and I’m so happy to be (saying), `34’s on my team?”’ Budenholzer said, referring to Antetokounmpo’s jersey number. ”That’s like really cool.
”He’s a nightmare to coach against, to game-plan, to figure out how you can keep him away from the basket.”
No need to worry about that anymore. But Budenholzer’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 – especially if it can play more consistent defense.
”I think with the individual talents we have in Milwaukee … I think one of the words I used in the interview process was, `How can we unlock this talent defensively?”’ Budenholzer said. ”I just think there’s so much to work with.”
Start with the 6-foot-11 Antetokounmpo
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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.
”Finding the right person, the right fit for this team … to help this group take the next step was paramount,” general manager Jon Horst said. ”Ultimately after going through the process, it was clear that Bud was the right guy to do that.”
Budenholzer said players would be able to understand his defensive principles quickly, which would help in ”freeing them up to be great on that side of the court.”
The details are still being worked out. He’s barely been on the job for five days
Jonathan Allen Color Rush Jersey , and he’s hoping that most of his staff from Atlanta follows him to Milwaukee. Budenholzer hasn’t even met the whole team.
But he has had breakfast already with the Bucks’ two best players, Middleton and Antetokounmpo. Building a solid relationship with Antetokounmpo, especially, might be his one of his most important tasks for now.
”And those conversations, I look forward to having with Giannis and listening to Giannis too. He’s a smart player,” Budenholzer said. ”I think together, he and I will probably push each other. But I look forward to pushing him. He believes it, I believe it. He’s going to get a lot better.”
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The Latest on Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final between the Vegas Golden Knights and the Washington Capitals (all times local):
11:03 p.m.
The Washington Capitals have beaten the Vegas Golden Knights 3-1 and taken a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final.
Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov scored second-period goals and Devante Smith-Pelly added another late in the third period to put the Golden Knights in a hole. The lone Vegas goal came from Tomas Nosek
http://www.jaguarsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-dj-chark-jersey , who cashed in a mistake by Washington goaltender Braden Holtby at 3:29 of the third period.
Vegas pulled goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for the final two and half minutes of the game but couldn’t break through.
It was the first Stanley Cup Final held in the nation’s capital since 1998.
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10:50 p.m.
Devante Smith-Pelly has given the Washington Capitals a 3-1 lead on Vegas late in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Vegas defenseman Shea Theodore had trouble clearing the puck and Capitals centerman Jay Beagle took the puck away and found Smith-Pelly skating in all alone on Golden Knights goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.
Smith-Pelly ripped it past the goalie at 13:53 of the third period.
The series is tied 1-1.
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10:35 p.m.
The Vegas Golden Knights have taken advantage of a huge mistake by Washington Capitals goalie Braden Holtby to get back into Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Holtby did a poor job of clearing the puck from behind the Capitals net, and Tomas Nosek easily scored to slice Washington’s lead to 2-1 at 3:29 of the third period.
The goal deflated the mood of the sellout crowd, many of them wearing red and cheering for the Capitals in the first Stanley Cup Final held in D.C. since 1998.
The series is tied 1-1.
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10:10 p.m.
The Washington Capitals are 20 minutes away from taking a 2-1 lead in the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Second-period goals by Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov put Washington up 2-0 in Game 3. Washington holds a 21-13 advantage in shots on goal after two periods.
Washington lost the opener 6-4 in Vegas before rebounding to win 3-2 on Wednesday. The series shifted to the nation’s capital for Game 3, marking the first time 20 years the Capitals hosted the Stanley Cup Final.
When the Final has been tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the Stanley Cup 21 of 27 chances (78 percent) since the series went to the best-of-seven format in 1939
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9:45 p.m.
Evgeny Kuznetsov has given the Washington Capitals a 2-0 lead in Game 3 of their Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Kuznetsov came down the right side in a 2-on-1 with Jay Beagle and pushed a shot into the left side of the net past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury at 12:50 of the second period. Kuznetsov missed most of Game 2 with what appeared to be a left arm injury.
The goal came after Washington defenseman Brooks Orpik looked dazed following a hit from Golden Knights forward James Neal. He was not pulled from the game to go through concussion protocol.
Orpik went to the bench following the check in the corner but did not go down the tunnel for evaluation. The NHL’s concussion protocol states that a player exhibiting any possible concussion symptoms must be evaluated, and the league has spotters in place to pull players if that’s suspected.
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9:25 p.m.
Alex Ovechkin has given the Washington Capitals a 1-0 lead over the Vegas Golden Knights in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Ovechkin scored on a shot from the left side at 1:10 of the second period as he was falling over Vegas defenseman Brayden McNabb to end a flurry that saw goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury make three saves before Ovechkin connected.
It was Ovechkin’s 14th goal of the playoffs, tying the franchise mark set by John Druce in 1990.
The series is tied at one game apiece. This is the first Stanley Cup Final held in the nation’s capital since 1998.
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9:05 p.m.
The Washington Capitals and Vegas Golden Knights have skated through a scoreless first period, though both teams had chances to get on the board first in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final.
Vegas goalie Marc-Andre Fleury swatted away a close shot by Alex Ovechkin
http://www.bearsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-roquan-smith-jersey , and the Capitals had an apparent goal taken away when winger Devante Smith-Pelly was called for goalie interference.
Golden Knights’ leading scorer, Jonathan Marchessault, hit the right post with a shot at the 14-minute mark.
Washington finished with 7-5 advantage in shots. There were 15 goals total in the first two games, the most in a Final since 1982.
Toward the end of the period, Capitals defenseman Michal Kempny left the ice. He took a spill in pregame warmups after crashing into the boards.
There’s plenty of star power in the stands, including a few people you never knew were Capitals fans.
Keenan Thompson, a longtime cast member of ”Saturday Night Live,” spent this Saturday night watching hockey. He waved to the crowd and tipped his red hat
Cheap Baker Mayfield Jersey , which said, ”ALL CAPS.”
Actress Lynda Carter showed off her red Capitals jersey. Former Redskins coach Joe Gibbs yelled ”Let’s Go Caps!” over the public address system and game show host Pat Sajak introduced the starting lineups.
The series is tied 1-1. It is the first Final game in Washington in 20 years.
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8:40 p.m.
Plenty of action between Vegas and Washington in the opening minutes of Game 3, even if the game remained scoreless as the first period approached its midpoint. The fast pace of the first two games has continued.
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