Mike Budenholzer has a decision to make.
With fifteen games left in the regular season, the Milwaukee Bucks trail the Philadelphia 76ers by four games for the top spot in the eastern conference playoff race.
The 76ers visit Milwaukee for back-to-back games Thursday night and Saturday afternoon.
One school of thought is to go for broke and do everything possible to secure the top seed.
Another school of thought suggests a long-term approach that balances minutes played and manages the wear and tear.
Budenholzer recently became the fastest Head Coach to reach 150 wins in Milwaukee Bucks history. His 70% winning percentage is the best in franchise history.
Budenholzer’s career playoff record is 32-32.
Realizing that chess pieces cannot be stationary in the post-season, Budenholzer has used the regular season as a vehicle to tinker with the offense and defense.
If the Bucks abide by the season-long mantra of positioning itself for playoff success, the games against the 76ers will be treated no different than most regular season games.
For the Bucks, positioning the team for the playoffs has more to do with chemistry and health than it does their seed.