Bucks’ Viral Pregame Moment Had NBA Fans Making Jokes About Team's Recently Fired Coach
They seemed a bit too happy.
In the team’s first game after head coach Adrian Griffin was fired earlier this week, the Milwaukee Bucks’ pregame vibes were at an all-time high.
A video of Milwaukee’s pregame dancing routine before the team’s game Wednesday night against the Cleveland Cavaliers went viral, and most fans believe the team’s relaxed spirit wasn’t a coincidence. Griffin was fired less than 50 games into his first season amid reports of him bristling with players, and in their first game without him, the Bucks looked like a team ready to have fun again.
And while it could have all been a coincidence, the timing made fans question whether the vibes had anything to do with the coaching change.
???????????? pic.twitter.com/mF2Xx0SWRC
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) January 25, 2024
The Bucks have since hired veteran coach Doc Rivers to be the team’s leader, though interim coach Joe Prunty coached the team to Wednesday’s win over Cleveland. Giannis Antetokounmpo did say postgame that he wanted to deliver a strong performance in honor of the former head coach.
“For a coach like [Griffin}, from Day 1, everything was about togetherness,” Antetokounmpo said, per the Associated Press. “He was always leading this group into the direction we set at the beginning of the year. Him not being here, at the end of the day, we’re humans. It hurts everybody. But we’ve got to keep on moving forward. We have a goal in our head, which is to be the best basketball team that we can be.”
But that didn’t stop fans from speculating about the team’s true motivations, especially given reports that Antetokounmpo’s relationship with Griffin had soured. Antetokounmpo has since denied those reports publicly
not even hiding it lol https://t.co/Miui3PS9iL
— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) January 25, 2024
They must have hated Adrian Griffin even more than we realized https://t.co/TmPrCH5fgx
— Sean Barnard (@Sean_Barnard1) January 25, 2024
nah if I was Adrian Griffin I’d be pissed ???? https://t.co/50DkaMDLsg
— nick (@nsitto2) January 25, 2024
Yea these boys are winning the chip now https://t.co/665IQe7WNB
— Carter Raabe (@MuktownYoungboi) January 25, 2024
Bucks dancing on Adrian Griffin grave lmao https://t.co/290zy9CGg9
— Myles (@myles31501) January 25, 2024