Bucks fans react to surprise midseason firing of head coach Adrian Griffin

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- The Bucks' firing of now-former head coach Adrian Griffin caught a lot of fans off guard and had them sounding off all day on social media and on the airwaves.

The firing was the hot topic on Milwaukee's sports radio stations as fans wanted to know why the move was made, and what's next.

Adrian Griffin was on the sideline of a comeback win Monday night. By Tuesday afternoon, he was out.

But many of those fans felt the Bucks are underperforming and need a fresh start.

Bucks fan Brennan Jass said, "It was a big shocker, honestly."

It was not the news many Bucks fans expected to hear, coming off a win that kept them tied for the second-best record in the NBA.

Adrian Griffin, armed with many of the same pieces from the 2021 championship season, was out.

Jass told us, "He still had all the players, all the material he needed for him right in front of him, so I don't see the issue why they had to get rid of him."

Despite the 30-13 record and addition of superstar Damian Lillard, many felt the Bucks were underperforming.

Drake Deno, better known as @SnellSZN on X, formerly Twitter, said, "The silver lining is that they must really believe that in order to compete, this is what they had to do."

Across town, the switchboard was lit up all afternoon at 97.3 The Game.

Tim, a caller from Waukesha, said, "In my opinion, this will go down as the greatest decision the Milwaukee Bucks franchise has ever made. Because they now view themselves as a championship organization."

Some fans felt the firing signals the Bucks are serious about winning now.

Though co-host Kevin Brandt said it was a tough situation for Griffin from the start. "I think it was flawed from the get-go, that you'd go hire a guy that's never coached at that level. It was a risk. Going in, it was fraught with problems."

NBA scout Dave Schultz was an in-studio guest. He said, "[Griffin] was in a tough spot for a first-year coach. Win a championship or else. First time at the helm, at any level, running your own team. That's a tough spot to be put in."

Regardless of who takes over, co-host Drew Olson said the Bucks' championship expectations remain. "This was a title-or-bust season anyway. Because they're in this window. But then they made the Dame trade, and it ratcheted that up."

Fans also called in to talk about the rumors that Doc Rivers could be the next head coach. But not everyone was excited, citing recent playoff failures from some of Rivers' highly touted teams.