The Milwaukee Bucks have made a very bold decision mid-season that can probably turn the fate of the franchise. The Bucks decided to let go of the successful coach Adrian Griffin as revealed by the general manager of the franchise.
This move has raised a lot of eyebrows, as the Milwaukee Bucks were by no means struggling this season; instead, they are a dominant force. However, the reason for letting Griffin go sounded valid and looked like a high-risk gamble as a new head coach gets ready to take the reins.
Assessing the risks and rewards of letting go of a successful coach
The Milwaukee Bucks sacked their successful head coach Adrian Griffin this week as revealed by Jon Horst, the general manager of the Bucks. Horst looked besieged as he revealed the news of Griffin’s sacking to the public.
“It is our job to regularly evaluate and to learn and listen to continue to figure out how to improve this team. For us, we felt like this was the right time and the right decision to make, and that we had an opportunity to improve the group,” said Horst about the decision.
Firing Griffin was a surprise to many fans as the Bucks went 30-13 under him which is a very respectable record in mid-season. It depicts the good state of the Bucks and puts them above the other teams in the East. This was made possible because of the offensive style of basketball Griffin made the Bucks play.
The Milwaukee Bucks have become an offensive juggernaut but in turn, have an awful defense. The most important change in Griffin’s time was the departure of Jrue Holiday and the arrival of Damian Lillard. Dame Tiem brought the extra boost to the offense of the Bucks as promised. However, the absence of the now-Celtics star Jrue Holiday created a space in the defense that was very hard to fill.
The Bucks lacked significantly in the defense department and even allowed the Detroit Pistons, one of the worst offensive teams this season, to average 124 points against them. This defensive struggle has become a major weakness for the Bucks and won’t be overlooked against top teams like the Nuggets. The franchise sacked Griffin, risking the offensive style he brought to the Milwaukee Bucks, to regain some defensive strength and establish a balance on the team.
Can Doc Rivers quickly turn around bucks’ defensive woes?
With the departure of Griffin, it has been reported that Doc Rivers will be overtaking the Bucks as the head coach. Rivers was also linked with a rumored move to the Lakers but now that Griffin has been sacked it is clear where he is going.
Rivers has a specialty in dealing with teams featuring superstars, and Milwaukee seems like a perfect fit for him. He would be tasked to accomplish a lot, considering there are only around 6 months for him to work with the unfamiliar players and the rest of the coaching staff to balance out the team.
Clearly, Horst has made some very big decisions since taking the helm of the franchise as the general manager. However, he trusts in Rivers and doesn’t regret his decision to hire Griffin either. So, Milwaukee Bucks fans will have to wait and see how things turn out for them now.
What do you think of the sacking of Adrian Griffin by the Milwaukee Bucks? Do you think that Doc Rivers would be able to fix the team in the given time frame? We are eager to know your thoughts, so drop down in the comments and let us know.
