The Milwaukee Bucks appeared in high spirits ahead of their Wednesday night game against Cleveland. The team's official social media account posted a pre-game video of the players joyfully dancing together on the court. This is in spite of the shock firing of first-year head coach Adrian Griffin earlier this week. Griffin was let go despite coaching the team to a 30-13 record, primarily over concerns about the team's defensive efficiency.
In his place, the team hired Doc Rivers, poaching the veteran coach from ESPN. Rivers was the Bucks' primary choice given his experience, availability, and history of coaching superstar tandems. Furthermore, Rivers has a strong history in Wisconsin. His jersey hangs in the rafters at Marquette University, where he was an All-American. Rivers' first game with the team has not yet been confirmed.
Bucks Stars Surprised By Coaching Change But Embracing It
Meanwhile, the Bucks' star players were understandably surprised by the sudden coaching change. "I've got to trust the front office, I've got to trust the ownership group that they consider the bigger picture. My job is to be the best version of myself, to lead this team out there and help win games. Their job is to create the best team possible and the best atmosphere around the team possible that they believe gives us a better chance to win a championship. But yeah, I do think [firing coach Griffin] was a surprise," Giannis Antetokounmpo said after beating the Bucks.
Furthermore, Damian Lillard, whom Griffin acquired at the cost of defensive powerhouse Jrue Holliday, agreed with the sentiment. "There's been a lot of expectations on our team. Things have been expected to look a certain way. We've had a bumpy road to our success, which is sometimes a part of the process. I was surprised. But it's part of the game. People get traded, people get waived, people get fired, and that's never something you want to see," Lillard noted.
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