Mike Budenholzer didn’t disappoint Brett Brown.
When the Hawks clinched a playoff berth last week, Hawks coach Budenholzer was asked for his reaction.
“None,” he said simply.
End of question and answer.
Brown, the 76ers head coach, was a long-time Spurs assistant with Budenholzer before each took top jobs in 2013. The Spurs know a thing or two about playoff success. They won four World Championships with Budenholzer serving under head coach Gregg Popovich.
Budenholzer’s reaction to the playoff question did not surprise Brown.
“You should have been in locker rooms when we won Western Conference championships,” Brown said Saturday. “This is not arrogant, I need to say that, but there wasn’t much celebration. For me to hear that he really hasn’t celebrated for making the playoffs doesn’t surprise me at all. I’d be disappointed in him if he celebrated making the playoffs. He comes from where I have. We’ve been privileged to be around the best for a long time. So to hear that was his reaction does not surprise me at all.”
The Hawks entered Saturday’s game against the 76ers at 49-12, the best record in the NBA. Their magic numbers are seven to clinch the Southeast Divison and 10 to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
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