The Bucks fired Adrian Griffin because anything less than a title this season is a failure

Anything short of a title is a failure, whether Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to admit it or not.

The Milwaukee Bucks are in the middle of a championship window. But through 43 games this season, they have looked like anything but a championship team. That’s why first-year head coach Adrian Griffin had to go.

The Bucks dismissed Griffin as coach Tuesday, according to multiple reports. The search for his replacement is underway. Milwaukee’s 30-13 record and second-place standing in the Eastern Conference made the news somewhat of a surprise. The team’s actual play on the court made it necessary.

BREAKING: The Milwaukee Bucks dismissed coach Adrian Griffin, sources tell ESPN. pic.twitter.com/UK1MGlKyrY

— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 23, 2024

Despite trailing the Boston Celtics by just 3.5 games for first place, the Bucks are flawed. After boasting a top-five defense a season ago, they have the 22nd-ranked defensive rating this season, severely undercutting their efforts on offense and limiting their potential to make a deep playoff run.

Milwaukee still has the second-best odds to win the East at +220 and third-best title odds at +475, but if things continue as they have, it’s hard to see them beating Boston in a seven-game series let alone the best team to come out the West. Even the Indiana Pacers have beaten them four times this season. That’s why a change had to be made. They have to at least try to right the ship.

Part of their struggles could be personnel, something Griffin had no control over, but effort and scheme have also been called into question and Griffin has been publicly challenged by players on more than one occasion. Bobby Portis reportedly challenged him about the the team’s offense earlier this season, and Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard agreed they needed to be more organized. Antetokounmpo has called out the coaching at least twice this month.

“Guys have to play better. We have to execute better. We have to move the ball side-to-side. We cannot do it on our own. Coach has gotta coach harder. We have to be better,” Antetokounmpo said after their Jan. 3 loss to Indiana. And after a loss to the Houston Rockets three days later, he said, “We have to play better. We have to defend better. We have to trust one another better. We have to be coached better. Every single thing, everybody has to be better.”

As long as Antetokounmpo is in his prime, the Bucks go into every season with expectations of competing for a title. The addition of Lillard only added to those lofty expectations. Anything less is a failure, whether Antetokounmpo wants to admit it or not.

If that wasn’t clear before, it should be after Griffin’s early dismissal.