The Bucks, just hours after Adrian Griffin was fired, responded by beating the Cavaliers by a score 126-116 and the Giannis Antetokounmpo to achieve it 42nd triple-double of his career with 35 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists and 2 blocks!
After the game, Giannis addressed Griffin’s firing, stressing: “It’s tough. You build a relationship with people and suddenly, boom, he’s not here. For a coach like Griff, I think from day one, everything was about unity. He always led this group in this direction, which we set from the first moment».
And he continued:Not being here with us hurts, we’re human. But at the end of the day, we have to move forward. We have one goal in mind, which is to be the best team we can be. There are lofty goals from the ownership group, from the front office, from ourselves, to be jerks and that’s the job in the NBA. I was in a similar situation in the past. I know how things work, I have to look ahead. Today Joe Prudy is our coach».
On whether the new coach will be able to shape the team with 38 games left in the regular season: “Good question. I am not the meetings held for the new coach. Right now I don’t know if a new coach will come and I don’t want to draw conclusions. Apparently there are many media outlets, which mention names. Right now, though, my coach is Joe Prudy and I respect that.
I can’t assume we will have another coach. When that is done, I will be able to respond. I don’t know if 38 games is enough. I have never been in this position before. I don’t know if 38 games are enough for a team to come together and win the championship. But we’ll see what happens. At the end of the day, players play the game. And we begin to meet. Middleton spikes the ball all of a sudden, he’s done it in two straight games, I’m making threes. It’s like we’re switching roles. Let me be in his body and he in mine. Just kidding… Players are playing the game. From time to time we need guidance, but our talent takes over. We will read the phase, we will make the right decision.
We have played one season where most of us are healthy. We have played many minutes together. Me and Lillard have played close to 40 games. When we’re on the floor with Lopez and Middleton, whether we’re playing well or not, it’s good that we’re playing together. We don’t know who will come. What I do know is that right now we’re coached by Coach Joe, and he’s been incredible».
On the fact that it was mentioned by John Horst (Bucks GM) that one of the reasons for the coach change was to raise the level of the team and how Giannis thinks this change will help: “How will the change help? I do not know. You have to ask John (s.s. Horst).
I can say it goes from defense to offense, to our chemistry, to how we practice, to how focused we are. We can change a lot. Maybe working with Lillard or Middleton more, posting up Lopez, not giving up threes. There’s a lot we can improve on, so I guess John was referring to those issues».
On how he felt his partnership with Griffin progressed: “I think he did an incredible job. Our record speaks for itself. He did an incredible job. He was a great person, easy to talk to. You felt comfortable around him. I had conversations with him, I had yesterday too. The record speaks for itself. It was 30-13. But this is the NBA and decisions are just made. It’s hard work, man. I hope they came to talk to you to give him credit. He is a coach, he will be in the league for years, we will see him in the future. He will surely come after us. He knows my weaknesses and my strengths.
But this is the NBA and sometimes people think that if you win by 4 points you have to win by 20 points. If you lose, you must win. It’s hard. But I trust the management, they didn’t make mistakes in the past, they always created a nice atmosphere, a winning mentality. They always did what was best for the team so that we could win. You have to trust them that this was the best decision and move on. It’s a matter of trust. I don’t know how others feel but here I think Griffin was a great person and coach and I will always be in touch with him».
On Horst saying he didn’t ask the players about the decision to fire Griffin and whether he was surprised: “I was surprised, yes. I’ve been here 11 years and this has only happened once before and that time we had a 13-30 record. But I have to trust the team and the fact that they see the big picture.
My job is to be the best I can be and lead the team to wins and their job to create the best possible atmosphere and give us a chance to win the championship. Yes, it was a surprise anyway».
On his triple-double and whether that’s because he’s improved as a passer or just his teammates making shots: “I don’t know, I think it’s a combination. Maybe I pass more and guys make shots. Everyone was shooting today. To be successful there must be such a mix: I must be aggressive, but when my teammates are free, pass them.
The same is true on the other side. When I run they have to give me the ball. We have to trust each other. Lately I think we’ve realized that we all have to be great to win. We’ve been making better decisions lately».
On whether he’s learned anything from all of this with Griffin, given that for the first time he appeared to be involved in the decision to hire the experienced technician and was believed by many to be the one who gave the OK: “I don’t like that about the NBA. It’s crazy work. Yesterday coach Griff was our coach, today he is not. We walked into the stadium and it was like he was never here. I don’t like that in the NBA and I’ll be outspoken. I understand it’s work. Players are traded, released. They have to change their lives just… like that. This creates a narrative that is not accurate.
I am a person who refuses to follow this bubble, that something is true and something is not. There will always be something out there for me and the team. They’ll say about me that ‘oh, he didn’t have a good relationship with Griffin.’ Error. I love the guy, I invited him to my wedding, I talked to him, I coached him and we got along really, really well.
You have to understand that if a coach is hired, sometimes the GM might come and ask ‘what do you think about this, or that?’ Not just me, but players in general who trust their opinion. But sometimes they present it in such a way that it seems like the players make the decision or someone was traded because another player didn’t want him. No.
I have a job. My job is to be the best I can be and try to lead the team to victories. That’s what I get paid for, not to change people’s lives and make them feel uncomfortable. I get paid to play.
I try to stick to it as much as I can. I understand that I don’t like this side. There are people who are paid a lot of money to make these decisions, and these decisions are difficult. They are difficult. And I have to respect John, because he has a tough job. It’s not easy. I personally don’t like to get involved in it. I do not like.
Have I been in a position where they asked me about something? Yes many times. But I was not involved in the hiring of Griffin. I talked to him, as I did with coach Budd (s.s. Budenholzer), but then nobody said I was involved. I had nothing to do with it, I was a child. They just asked me and I said he seems like a nice person. I said the same about Griffin. They are all good people.
But I don’t make the decision. Don’t get me wrong, I hope I would, but I really don’t make the decision. I’m just trying to focus on basketball».
On how the Bucks managed to stay focused against the Cavaliers after what happened and how he sees that can give the team some momentum: “Cleveland is a great team. He’s been playing really well lately. We lost by 40 points the other day and we play them again on Friday. The children understood that we must become one with what happened. Some have spoken and said that this will either tear us apart and make excuses, not doing what we should, or we will come together and try to improve.
I feel like we did that, especially against Cleveland, who always come down the floor hard and if they feel you’re loose they take advantage of it. I think we played a good game, everyone was focused, we played defense. We played well and we were united. I hope we continue like this in our next game».
Source: Sport Fm
I am currently a news writer for News Bulletin247 where I mostly cover sports news. I have always been interested in writing and it is something I am very passionate about. In my spare time, I enjoy reading and spending time with my family and friends.
