Mike Budenholzer Makes Honest Statement After Knicks-Suns Game

Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer met with the media after Wednesday's loss.

Oct 23, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA; Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer at press conference at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

On Wednesday evening, the Phoenix Suns hosted the New York Knicks in Arizona.

The Suns lost by a score of 138-122.

pic.twitter.com/nkza3y6B92

— Phoenix Suns (@Suns) November 21, 2024

They are now in the middle of a five-game losing streak (and continue to play without Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal).

After the latest loss, head coach Mike Budenholzer met with the media (h/t Duane Rankin of azcentral).

Budenholzer: "We got a group that will stay together... Losing is hard. This league is hard. We gotta fight through it; we gotta compete our way through it... The competitiveness of our group has been in a good place when we were winning, and I would still say the same thing right now while we're struggling."

"While there are things we need to work on and improve, the competitiveness of our group has been in a good place when we were winning and I would say the same thing right now while we're struggling. The guys know how important competing is." Suns coach Mike Budenholzer. #Suns pic.twitter.com/CieYY5lFvl

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) November 21, 2024

The Suns are the seventh seed in the Western Conference with a 9-7 record in their first 16 games (they are 5-3 at home in Arizona).

Via Underdog NBA: "Suns with Kevin Durant: 8-1, T-1st place in West

Suns without Kevin Durant: 1-6, dropped to T-8th place in West"

Suns with Kevin Durant: 8-1, T-1st place in West

Suns without Kevin Durant: 1-6, dropped to T-8th place in West

— Underdog NBA (@Underdog__NBA) November 21, 2024

The good news for the Suns is that they will have the next five days off.

They will not play their next game until Tuesday evening when they remain at home to host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nov 20, 2024; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Phoenix Suns head coach Mike Budenholzer yells a referee during the fourth quarter of the game against the New York Knicks at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Budenholzer is in his first season at the helm for the Suns.

The two-time NBA Coach of The Year has also coached the Atlanta Hawks and Milwaukee Bucks.

During the 2021 season, he helped lead the Bucks to the NBA Championship (over the Suns).