Suns Star Supporting Coach vs Former Team

Monday night's matchup against the Bucks means a little more to Phoenix's head coach.

Mar 16, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer reacts against the Los Angeles Lakers in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

PHOENIX -- First-year Phoenix Suns coach Mike Budenholzer will have his first crack at his old team Monday night when the Suns host the Milwaukee Bucks.

Budenholzer was fired following Milwaukee's first-round loss to the Miami Heat in the 2022-23 playoffs after spending five seasons with the team. Budenholzer led the Bucks to a 2021 NBA Finals victory over the Suns and was named the 2018-19 NBA Coach of the Year in his first season in Milwaukee.

Suns star forward Kevin Durant knows what Monday's matchup means to his coach and to Phoenix, who sits at 34-37 on the year and tied for the 10th seed in the West, which is the final play-in spot.

“Every game at this point, where we are, means a lot,” Durant said after Friday's win over the Cavaliers. “I wouldn’t say that it's bulletin-board material that he got fired from there and won a championship there, but, knowing Bud, I know that he’ll have a little bit more juice to play against his former team.

“We got to match his energy and usually great teams match the coach’s energy, so we look forward to playing that game.”

Kevin Durant on Mike Budenholzer facing Milwaukee the 1st time since the Bucks fired him after the 2022-23 season: "Knowing Bud, I know he'll have a little bit more juice to play against his former team. We got to match his energy. Usually great teams match the coach's energy. So… pic.twitter.com/ehFY26rvGk

— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin) March 22, 2025

Budenholzer did not have much to say Friday about his playing his former team.

“I’m gonna just enjoy tonight,” Budenholzer said. “We got two days and we’ll get ready to play, and it’ll be good. We’ll have a little practice on Sunday. But, I think we’re just going to take this in tonight.”

Milwaukee comes into Phoenix with a 40-30 record on the year, while the Suns are riding a three-game win streak and need every win they can get with their record and will have to do so with the toughest remaining schedule in the NBA.

Entering this difficult stretch to end the year with 10 of the final 11 games against current play-in or playoff teams, Durant is impressed with what he's seeing from the team and Budenholzer's coaching.

"I like the style of play that we had the last few games on both ends of the floor. We've been building on that," Durant said Friday. "And Coach has been coaching us up pretty well and practicing on those schemes that we've been working on the last few games, and we just get better at that.

"We keep grinding, man, like I've been saying. I mean, it is late in the season. We only have a handful of games left, but those are the most important games and I'm looking forward to playing.”