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Milwaukee Bucks player Bobby Portis was not pleased after Milwaukee lost its semifinal game of the NBA's In-Season tournament Thursday. The veteran forward ripped his teammates and even called out head coach Adrian Griffin, sources told Chris Haynes of TNT and Bleacher Report.
A lack of organization late in the game appeared to be a sticking point for Portis. The Indiana Pacers outscored the Bucks in the game's last few minutes.
According to the report, Portis took aim at Griffin and the coaching staff.
Portis also pointed out the Bucks' rebounding issues. The Pacers outrebouned the Bucks 51-46.
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Bobby Portis (9) of the Milwaukee Bucks drives to the basket during a game against the Indiana Pacers during the semifinals of the In-Season Tournament Dec. 7, 2023, at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. (Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images)
Griffin, in his first season as Bucks head coach, seemed to take Portis' criticism in stride, saying he knows he has to improve.
A late-game sequence involving star players Khris Middleton and Damian Lillard highlighted what Porter was referring to when he expressed frustration over the team's cohesion problems.
With less than three minutes remaining in the game, Middleton made his way up court with the ball. Lillard, the Bucks' point guard, normally handles the ball. Middleton initially appeared unsure where to distribute it, before forcing a pass to Lillard that was intercepted.
"The play with Khris, he got the ball on the inbound, and I was just running up the opposite slot," Lillard explained after the game.
"And, you know, we didn't really have a play call, you know. So, I was standing opposite him, and I didn't know if he was going to attack or what."
Damian Lillard (0) and Bobby Portis (9) of the Milwaukee Bucks talk during a break in the second half of a semifinal game of the inaugural NBA In-Season Tournament against the Indiana Pacers at T-Mobile Arena Dec. 7, 2023, in Las Vegas. The Pacers defeated the Bucks 128-119. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
The Bucks landed Lillard in a blockbuster trade in October. He joined a roster that won an NBA title in 2021. Lillard's arrival in Milwaukee raised championship expectations heading into the 2023-24 season. But things have not gone smoothly for the Bucks.
Following a win over the Miami Heat in November, Griffin mentioned that Giannis Antetokounmpo decided to switch up a play. After the semifinal loss, Antetokounmpo also expressed his desire to see the team play a more organized brand of basketball and to execute on a more consistent basis.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of the Milwaukee Bucks receives high-fives from Pat Connaughton (24) and Bobby Portis (9) after a fast-break dunk during the fourth quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center Dec. 10, 2021, in Houston. (Bob Levey/Getty Images)
"We have to be more organized. We have to know what we are trying to get down the stretch. You know, at the end of the day, like down the stretch, it's about effort, man. It's about effort and attitude. You have to go out there and take it. I feel like the Indiana team, that's what they did," Antetokounmpo said.
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"They crashed the board, got defensive rebounds. You know, they got to their spots. They played great defense. You know, got deflections. Like, at the end of the day, like nothing is going to be given to you in life.
"Nothing is going to be given to you in an NBA game, and we cannot just expect that to be, ‘We run a play and because we run the play, we are going to score a bucket.’ Like, you've got to execute. You've got to cut hard, screen harder, get open, drive the ball. You know, make something happen."
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Portis finished Thursday's game with four points and six rebounds.
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