© Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
"I trust them completely" - Adrian Griffin on the connection between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton
Milwaukee Bucks coach Adrian Griffin knows he's the new kid on the block, having taken over the mantle owned by previous coach Mike Budenholzer for the last five seasons. A veteran of many seasons, both as a player and an assistant coach, Griffin knows when it's time to take the reins or slacken it up a little.
Against the Miami Heat on Tuesday, Griffin decided to let two of the franchise's most distinguished players—Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton—do what they do best.
Incredible pass
With the Bucks hanging on to a 122-120 lead with 1:20 left, Khris Middleton called for a pick-and-roll with Giannis. After Heat big man Bam Adebayo decided to switch on Middleton, the latter threw a lob pass to a rolling Antetokounmpo, who caught it high and drew a foul from Miami's rookie wingman Jaime Jaquez Jr. Giannis then made two free-throws to raise the Bucks' lead to four.
While some coaches may pull their hair out at the sight of such a risky play, Griffin stuck to his guns and let the team's stars take control.
"I trust them completely," Griffin said.
"They've done some things as far as just reading each other that we've never discussed. They just have a connection with each other, and you could tell they've been together forever. During clutch time, they know what to do, and you just trust them. As a coach, you trust them. They've rehearsed this play probably hundreds of times, so I completely trust them down the stretch."
Trust and experience
Giannis and Middleton have been teammates for over a decade now, and it shows. Their trust in each other on the court is unparalleled, allowing them to make risky plays with confidence that they'll work out in the end. On that play, Khris knew that with Adebayo on him, nobody would get to that pass except Antetokounmpo.
"It's trust and just knowing where the high jumper is. Bam was on me, so I know if I get it over him, not many guys are gonna be able to jump and compete with Giannis at the rim. So, I put it somewhere where he could grab it up high. More times than not, he's going to come down with it or get a foul like he did," Middleton said.
"We've talked about it many times, just throw it in a place that only I can get it, and I'm going to try to go get it. Sometimes, it's going to be too high, and I'm not going be able to get it, but damn sure nobody else next to me is going to get that ball," Giannis added.
