Bucks HC Mike Budenholzer clears health and safety protocols

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer entered the NBA's health and safety protocols on Jan. 5 and was sidelined for a total of four games, three of which the Bucks dropped to fall to 26-17 on the season. 

According to ESPN's Jamal Collier, though, Budenholzer cleared the protocols in time to work Thursday's home matchup against the 30-10 Golden State Warriors. 

Bucks assistant Darvin Ham served as interim coach while Budenholzer dealt with some COVID-19 symptoms, but the head man communicated with his team via videoconference calls and text messages during his absence. 

"I don't know what the right word is, but it's fun to watch those guys do their thing," Budenholzer remarked before Thursday's contest. "Just know that it's really, really hard to be away from them, but to see Darvin and the assistants coach and the way the players respond to them, it's a very good thing we have here. To get to sit back and see it from a different perspective is probably healthy for me, too." 

Milwaukee began Thursday's NBA action fourth in the Eastern Conference standings, three games back of the first-place Chicago Bulls. The Bucks next host the 20-18 Toronto Raptors on Saturday evening.