Bucks Zone

Adrian Griffin calls Bobby Portis Jr. the team’s “heart and soul”

Coach Griffin explains why Portis is so important to the team.

Jonas Panerio

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. is one passionate player, and he put that on full display against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was driving to the hoop when he was wrapped up by Pacer Aaron Nesmith and got sent to the floor. Upon seeing their star fall, Portis immediately rushed to the scene and made Nesmith know that his shenanigans weren’t welcome at the Fiserv Forum.

It was a gesture that was appreciated by both the Bucks coaches and players and led coach Adrian Griffin to declare the 28-year-old as the team’s “heart and soul.”

Contagious competitive spirit

Thanks to his outside shooting and rebounding prowess, Portis Jr. has immense value to the Bucks. More than anything, his willingness to stand up for his teammates endeared him to his squad and the city of Milwaukee.

“He's our heart and soul,” Griffin said.

“When it comes to the passion, his competitive spirit is contagious. Those guys have a brotherhood. If you mess with one, one of 'em is going to step up, and it's that all-for-one, one-for-one-for-all mentality with this group. I don't mind that,” Griffin added.

Not backing down

The Indiana Pacers is a team that is clearly on the rise in the Eastern Conference. They’ve beaten the Bucks twice this season and have made it known they aren’t afraid of Milwaukee. Griffin said he respected Indiana’s spirit but also clarified that his team isn’t backing down from any challenge.

“This league is tough. It's tough to get wins, and we don't want to back down from anyone. We respect our opponents, but we're certainly not going to back down. We're going to keep competing, and I love the way we competed, and it was a total team win,” Griffin said.

Bucks reserve guard Cam Payne also said that the incident bolstered the team’s camaraderie, which will prove crucial if they are to reach the peak of the NBA’s mountain at season’s end.

“We building great camaraderie with each other, man. We got each other's back. We just showing it out there on the floor. I feel like that's a great stepping stone to get to what we want to do at the end of the year,” Payne shared.

Bobby Portis Jr. gets ejected from the game vs. the Pacers for defending Giannis

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Jonas Panerio
JONAS PANERIO