The Bucks suddenly firing Adrian Griffin had NBA fans totally stunned
The Bucks really fired a coach with the second-best record in the NBA.
The Milwaukee Bucks have 30 wins. They are tied for the second-best record in the NBA. In Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard have two legitimate franchise superstars pushing for a championship.
None of that matters to head coach Adrian Griffin’s job security, apparently.
On Tuesday, the Bucks unceremoniously fired Griffin, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Smack dab in the middle of a 30-win season (at the halfway mark!), Milwaukee dismissed Griffin, seemingly hoping for an upgrade on the bench. Doc Rivers has already been mentioned as a distinct possibility to replace Griffin.
Even still: they fired the coach of a team with the second-best record in the NBA? WHAT?
BREAKING: The Milwaukee Bucks dismissed coach Adrian Griffin, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UK1MGlKyrY
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 23, 2024
The Bucks are planning to quickly pursue a small pool of accomplished and available veteran head coaches — with Doc Rivers near the top of the list, sources tell ESPN. https://t.co/1a5y77Dcvd
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 23, 2024
None of this shock is to say that Griffin was doing a terrific job. The Bucks sit in a great position in the standings, but were showing some fatal flaws that would be really tough to overcome this spring in the postseason.
Despite rostering All-NBA-caliber defenders like Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, Milwaukee has the fifth-worst defensive rating in the Eastern Conference and the 22nd-worst in the NBA. Some of that is on poor personnel, and some of that is on coaching. On offense, the Bucks under Griffin too often devolved into a nonexistent two-man game between Antetokounmpo and Lillard. The two stars effectively “take turns” rather than running a conducive offense with a flow. It is a testament to their individual ability that the Bucks are still somehow second in offensive net rating.
Rivers might be the cure to what ails Milwaukee in another title push, but that is no guarantee. Between stints with the Los Angeles Clippers and Philadelphia 76ers, Rivers hasn’t coached a team to a Conference Finals appearance since 2012.
For now, Milwaukee must pick up the pieces after firing Griffin.