Bucks Zone

"I thought he had a huge impact on the game!" - Mike Budenholzer praises Bucks prospect for stepping up versus the Utah Jazz

Coach Bud was impressed with the young Georgian.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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No Giannis Antetokounmpo, no problem. At least that was the case last night, as the short-handed Milwaukee Bucks took care of the Utah Jazz in dominating fashion, winning 123-97 in front of their home fans. It was a team win, with a lot of role players stepping up and impressing coach Mike Budenholzer. But one guy really stood out for coach Bud.

Energy

As said before, it was a total team effort, with every single player on the active roster getting into the game and contributing each in their own way. That effort was needed with Giannis and Khris Middleton out. But one guy caught the eye of coach Budenholzer, and it was Sandro Mamukelashivili.

The 6'11'' big man got 23 minutes of playing time and ended up with an all-around stat line of 3 points (1-1 3 PT), 8 rebounds (4 offensive), and 7 assists. 'Mamu' as they like to call him, didn't score too much, but his energy on the boards and distribution off the ball was impressive, as the second-year big man led the team with a +26 with him on the floor.

Coach Bud approves

The casual fan might glance at Sandro's stat line, but coach Bud knew the second-year player impacted the game in a big way, praising him in the post-game press conference:

“Without Giannis playing tonight, I thought he had a huge impact on the game. Just his effort on the offensive glass, the ground he was covering, he was just going and getting it,” Budenholzer explained.

Mamukelashivli is currently on a two-way contract and often playing with the Bucks G-League affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd, but if he continues to take advantage of his opportunities in this fashion, the 23-year-old Georgian might find himself a spot in the rotation.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.