MILWAUKEE — It’s been less than three years since fans celebrated the Bucks championship at Deer District, the franchise’s first in 50 years. Fans hoped it would be the first of many repeat championships but the only thing being repeated is a search for a head coach after Adrian Griffin was let go suddenly Tuesday.
“They shouldn’t have hired him in the first place if you’re going to fire him three months into the season,” Dave Frazier said. “But hey, go Bucks.”
It’s an off night for the Bucks so Fiserv Forum and Deer District were quiet Tuesday afternoon. The falling snow making for a serene setting, unfitting for the disruption of this news to fans like Frazier.
“I wouldn’t have thought he’d get fired this soon,” Frazier said. “I thought they’d at least give him one year to see.”
Frazier was far from the only fan to feel that way.
“To hear this news, it’s really honestly shocking,” Montrell Presley said. “I honestly believe we have two of the top players in the league in Dame Lillard and Giannis. I feel like we still have a solid team. I feel like we have to have chemistry to be able to compete and run long term in the postseason for a title.”
“It kind of surprised me,” Travis Beaumont said. “Coming into the season with Damian Lillard and Griffin coming in, we thought it would take time to adjust to new things, but I didn’t’ expect this change to come so soon.”
The adjustment period resulted in a 30-13 record, 2nd place in the Eastern Conference and 124.6 ppg, good enough for second in the league.
“It kind of trips me out because they were doing so good,” Gerron Griffin said. “It seems like on the court they’re doing good, but you never know what’s going on behind closed doors.”
“Why?” Adonis Grady said. “Why? Why fire him now? My confidence is very low. Where do we go from here?”
As slowly as the flakes were falling, the wheels processed in the minds of fans rationalizing the move.
“Our defense has been lacking,” he said. “People putting points on the board. We’re losing to teams we shouldn’t lose to. It’s a shame.”
The stages of grief were similar for the other Bucks fans TMJ4 spoke to Tuesday. Shock, questioning, rationalizing and finally, looking forward. These fans don’t want to toss away this season because of a mid-season move.
With big time names like Doc Rivers being floated as possible replacements, hope could be restored for these fans in a tailspin about what this move means.
“I feel like that would be solid,” Presley said. “He has a lot of experience. He has championship pedigree. Bringing him to the locker room would be a great addition.”
“If we get Doc Rivers, we might have a legitimate shot,” Grady said. “Doc is good. Look what he did with Boston… not so much with the Clippers but look at Boston!”
“If it’s Doc, I don’t think we’ll have any problem adjusting,” Beaumont said. “Being in the league as long as he is, he can make adjustments with superstars like Dame and Giannis.”
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