Bobby Portis passionately challenges head coach Adrian Griffin after loss to Pacers

Griffin entered the locker room and began harping on the importance of winning the rebounding battle, sources say. The Pacers outrebounded the Bucks 51-46. Portis, who scored four points on just five shots against Indiana in a near-season-low 18 minutes, quickly interjected and stressed how essential it is for Griffin to structure the offense down the stretch of games, sources said. -via Bleacher Report / December 8, 2023

As one of the leaders of the team, Portis continued on voicing his concerns. Griffin welcomed the criticism and acknowledged he could do a better job being more aggressive with his play-calling, sources say. The nine-year veteran explained that it’s a two-way street: direction is needed and then it’s up to the players to execute, sources say. -via Bleacher Report / December 8, 2023

And while Griffin talked about leaning on that pick-and-roll combination as a go-to play before the game, that just hasn’t been the case in most games thus far this season. For example, just a few hours after speaking with The Athletic, the Bucks ran an Antetokounmpo-Lillard pick-and-roll twice in the final five minutes of regulation as the Bucks tried to make a comeback against the Bulls that night and then only once in the five-minute overtime period. “Just figuring out the dynamics, it just takes time. It’s gradually going up,” Griffin said. “I think, [in] the last two games, we have the highest pick-and-roll frequency for our team and Dame and Giannis. I knew it was going to take a little bit of time. And that’s all it is, building the chemistry with each other. I think, on my part, it’s just if if I need to call plays to kind of manufacture a little bit more, but they’re learning, in the flow of the game, to play off each other, and I think that’s the biggest thing.“ -via The Athletic / December 7, 2023

Bobby Portis smiled and couldn’t wait for the rest of the question to be asked as his Little Rock, Arkansas, accent was holding onto the last syllable. “Awkwarrrdd,” he said with a slight laugh when the topic of seeing Jrue Holiday in Boston was broached. He looked down and adjusted his shoes under a row of chairs in Toronto. “Awkwarrrdd.” Khris Middleton smiled as he picked up the remaining items in his locker in Charlotte. “Yes, you can say weird,” he said. “Yes. It’s going to be weird.” -via Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel / November 21, 2023