Mike Budenhozler's fingerprints are all over the Milwaukee Bucks' transformation into an NBA title contender. The team's turnaround is the result of a series of deliberate improvements in three key areas: 3-point shooting, defensive efficiency and rebounding.
The year-over-year stats in each of these areas are nuts. On their own, they make Budenholzer a candidate to win the NBA's Coach of the Year award. Combined with the Bucks owning the best record in the NBA, they should make him a lock.
Let's start with 3-point shooting.
Year-over-year stat No. 1: Last season, the Bucks ranked 27th in the NBA by sinking just 8.