“It hurts” - Mike Budenholzer reacts to the Milwaukee Bucks’ stunning first-round exit

Giannis Antetokounmpo created quite a stir when he got testy while responding to a question if he viewed this season as a failure for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer was asked the same question shortly after their 128-126 overtime loss to the Miami Heat that ended what initially looked like a promising season on Wednesday night.

The path to success isn’t always straight. Time to take the next step forward.

To Bucks fans worldwide: this journey isn’t over but we wouldn't have made it this far without you.

Thank you for your unwavering support and belief in what comes next. #FearTheDeer pic.twitter.com/5tAqtmHqQj
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) April 27, 2023

Disappointing campaign

Unlike Giannis, Budenholzer addressed the question with so much poise.

“I respect the question. I understand the question. This team has incredibly high expectations. Jon Horst has put together an amazing roster. The owners has done what they’re supposed to do. We made a push. We were the no. 1 seed. But all that matters is the playoffs, so I think we’re just disappointed. We’re frustrated. It hurts,” Budenholzer said.

To wrap up his post-game press conference tonight, I asked Mike Budenholzer a simple question:

Do you view this season as a failure?

His response: pic.twitter.com/gKTfMPqlfm
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 27, 2023

The Bucks have all the reasons to be disappointed, frustrated, and hurt. After all, they came into the first-round playoffs as the heavy favorites after putting in an incredible season that saw them finish with an NBA-best 58-24 record.

Painful ending

They met a Miami Heat team that barely made the playoffs, needing to survive a do-or-die play-in duel with the Chicago Bulls to advance.

But in a stunning turn of events, the Bucks couldn’t move past the first round, with the Heat needing just five games to eliminate their highly touted opponents.

To be fair, the complexion of the series dramatically changed when Giannis suffered a lower back contusion in the team’s Game 1 loss. He missed Games 2 and 3 and was still visibly bothered by the injury when he returned in Game 4.

Budenholzer also did not answer the question directly, but his reply pretty much summed up how Giannis felt after the loss: frustrated, disappointed, and hurt.