The Milwaukee Bucks’ elimination from the NBA Cup sparked a heated argument between Bobby Portis and coach Adrian Griffin. According to Chris Haynes, from the website Bleacher Report, the power forward expressed his frustration in the locker room after the loss to the Indiana Pacers. Portis challenged the coach and his teammates to improve their performance, especially on crucial aspects highlighted during the game in Las Vegas.
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Haynes reported that Griffin emphasized the importance of dominating the game on the boards, considering Indiana grabbed 51 rebounds, five more than Milwaukee. Portis promptly responded, pointing out the need for the coach to structure the attack towards the end of games. Surprisingly, Griffin accepted the criticism, acknowledging the possibility of implementing more aggressive plays in these situations.
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Portis’ words reflect his frustration with several aspects of the game. In addition to leading in the third quarter, the Bucks lost the final quarter by a margin of 12 points, wasting the opportunity to win $500,000.
The power forward also highlighted a specific play in the final quarter, where Khris Middleton forced an unfavorable pass to Damian Lillard, resulting in a steal for the Pacers. Portis emphasized the need for a two-way approach to good performance, where leadership provides direction and players perform with quality in response.