© Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports
Bobby Portis Jr. passionately challenges the Milwaukee Bucks after losing to the Indiana Pacers
Hoping to light a fire from under the Milwaukee Bucks after the team lost 128-119 to the spunky Indiana Pacers in the semifinals of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament, veteran forward Bobby Portis Jr. challenged head coach Adrian Griffin and his teammates to play better.
According to a report by Bleacher Report's Chris Haynes, the incident happened in the locker room not long after the final buzzer sounded, marking the Bucks' deflating loss in a tournament many expected them to conquer.
Structured offense
According to Haynes' report, Griffin was speaking to the team about the need to win the battle of the boards, but Portis butted in and stressed the importance of having a structured offense. This was never more obvious than in the last two minutes of the game when the Pacers hit their stride while the Bucks' offense sputtered.
One play that exemplified Milwaukee's sloppiness on offense happened with a little over two minutes left in the game. After a basket by Pacers big man Myles Turner, Khris Middleton brought the ball past halfcourt and was looking to pass it to Damian Lillard, who Bruce Brown was hounding.
After dribbling several times, Middleton finally issued a pass that Brown picked off. Brown, though, missed the layup, but fortunately for Indiana, Buddy Hield trailed the play and scored the putback. After the game, Lillard admitted not knowing what play they were running at that time.
"I felt like that was our fault with the late-game execution," he said. "Not knowing what we're in. We could've been better at making the right play and, getting in our position, and executing," Malik Beasley said.
Have to know what they're running
Giannis Antetokounmpo also echoed Portis' comments, saying the team has to be more decisive down the stretch.
"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," Giannis said.
Giannis explained that executing a play with precise and forceful intentions is a massive piece of the puzzle.
"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."
