The Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated by Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers in the semifinals of the NBA Cup.
After the game, per Bleacher Report insider Chris Haynes, Bucks veteran forward Bobby Portis “passionately challenged” first-year Milwaukee head coach Adrian Griffin.
Portis reportedly “stressed how essential it is for Griffin to structure the offense” during crunch time. According to Haynes, the coach “welcomed the criticism” and agreed that he could do a better job calling plays. Here is more from Haynes:
“The nine-year veteran explained that it’s a two-way street: direction is needed and then it’s up to the players to execute, sources say.”
During their postgame press conferences, both Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo said that Milwaukee required a more organized offense in late-game moments.
Antetokounmpo finished no scoring possessions as the roll man in pick-and-roll sets during the loss against the Pacers, per Synergy. Others, meanwhile, shared concerns about Milwaukee’s 2-3 zone defense.
Griffin played in the league from 1999 until his final professional season in 2008. He was hired by the Bucks after most recently serving as an assistant coach for the Toronto Raptors and has coached in the NBA since his playing career ended.
This past summer, meanwhile, Portis represented Team USA during the 2023 FIBA World Cup. He has played for Milwaukee since 2020 and he helped the team win a championship in 2021.
