Getty Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard locked in.
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin has one of the toughest jobs in the NBA. With two of the top players in basketball and championship expectations, the first-year head coach is in for a learning year. The problem, however, is he’s expected to win.
If the Bucks don’t win a championship, it’s going to be looked at as a disappointment. Griffin has the utmost confidence in Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, making his job much easier. After the Bucks win over the San Antonio Spurs on January 4, Griffin had the following to say about his trust in the superstar duo, according to Matthew Dugandzic of Bucks Zone:
“Giannis and Dame, when you have them in the fourth quarter, you always feel like you got a chance. So I take my chances with them seven days a week,” Griffin said.
Adrian Griffin Enjoying Coaching Giannis and Lillard
While a tough task to deal with the superstar duo of Giannis and Lillard, Griffin’s trust in the duo makes it easier for him to enjoy the show. After the win, he spoke about how fun it was for him to be able to watch Giannis and Lillard compete at that high of a level against San Antonio Spurs rookie phenom, Victor Wembanyama.
Griffin had the following to say, according to Eric Nehm of The Athletic:
“That was a fun game to coach, fun game to watch. Two of the most unique, talented big men — and I use that (term) loosely because they’re very versatile players. But man, that was fun. I thought Wemby was great. I thought Giannis was phenomenal.”
After losing to the Indiana Pacers in two straight games before their win against the Spurs, it was a must that the Bucks came away with this win. San Antonio has had a tough year, but they competed against Milwaukee and made it tough on them. When the lights got bright, that’s when Giannis became his best.
“Giannis can do it all, man, and I think he showed it tonight. He attacked the rim, he hit a couple of 3s, playmaking, he’s special. So, it was fun to witness him up close, and I thought San Antonio played well, too. The bigger the stage, Giannis always comes through.”
Bucks Understand They Aren’t Where They Need to Be
Despite the win, Coach Griffin and the Milwaukee Bucks understand that they aren’t close to where they need to be in order to accomplish what they plan on accomplishing. The only way to accomplish these things is by continuing to play in tough games and trusting his stars down the stretch.
Milwaukee has to get better defensively and that’s something they’re working on. It’s a must for a team with championship aspirations. Griffin talked about that after the win, Matthew Dugandzic of Bucks Zone reports.
“We’re not where we want to be, but we’re heading in the right direction. Our key guys are talking about the right things, and that’s the defensive end. Well, continue to get better on that end,” Griffin said.