Late last month, the Milwaukee Bucks made the surprising decision to fire coach Adrian Griffin, even though the team was 30-13 in the 2023-24 season.
Griffin was replaced by veteran coach Doc Rivers.
The Bucks’ owner and fan base expect a championship this season. But Rivers, who won an NBA title as head coach of the Boston Celtics in 2008, fell short of expectations, at least through his first six games with the Bucks.
Milwaukee lost 129-105 to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday night, dropping Rivers’ team to 1-5. The lopsided loss allowed some of the Bucks’ bench players to shine in the fourth quarter, including reserve forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
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Thanasis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks during the fourth quarter of a game against the Brooklyn Nets on December 27, 2023 at Barclays Center in New York City. (Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
Thanasis has been with the Bucks since 2019, playing alongside his younger brother, two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
As the senior Antetokounmpo stood next to the scorer’s table waiting to check out Thursday’s game, Timberwolves announcer Jim Petersen declared that the Bucks would effectively abandon any attempt at a comeback.
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“The white flag is being waved,” Petersen said.
“Why do you say that, Jim Pete?” Timberwolves play-by-play announcer Michael Grady asked.
“Because Thanasis is preparing to play,” Petersen replied. By the time Antetokounmpo was replaced, Milwaukee was trailing the Timberwolves by more than 20 points.
The Bucks were short-handed for the game against Minnesota, with star guard Damian Lillard and three-time All-Star Khris Middleton absent.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo warms up before a game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center on February 3, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports)
Thanassis finished the match with two goals in five minutes. The New York Knicks selected Thanasis in the second round of the 2014 draft. Thanasis has played in 20 games this season, averaging just over four minutes per game.
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With the win over the Bucks, the Timberwolves improved to 36 wins and 16 losses. As of Friday, Minnesota is tied for first place in the Western Conference standings with the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
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