After the Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Indiana Pacers to get knocked out of the In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas, veteran forward Bobby Portis challenged head coach Adrian Griffin and his teammates, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.
Griffin, who is in his first season as head coach of the Bucks, entered the locker room and began harping on the importance of winning the rebounding battle. That’s when Portis interjected and stressed how essential it is for Griffin to structure the offense in the fourth quarter.
Griffin welcomed the criticism from Portis and acknowledged he could do a better job of being more aggressive with his play-calling. The Pacers outrebounded the Bucks 51-46 and won the fourth quarter 37-25.
A few days after the Bucks-Pacers game, both Griffin and Portis talked about the exchange in the locker room.
Portis is averaging 11.0 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists on the season for the Bucks while shooting 47.6% from the field, 29.1% from beyond the arc and 77.1% from the free-throw line.
The Bucks are 15-7 on the season. They are in third place in the Eastern Conference standings.
After the Bucks-Pacers game, Giannis Antetokounmpo talked about the loss with NBA reporters.
“We have to be more organized,” Antetokounmpo said after the Bucks lost to the Pacers. “We have to know what we are trying to get down the stretch. At the end of the day, like down the stretch, it’s about effort, man. It’s about effort and attitude, you have to go out there and take it. I feel like the Indiana team, that’s what they did.”
The Bucks have championship expectations with Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton leading the way. If Milwaukee doesn’t win it all this season, the team will be heavily criticized by pundits.
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