The Milwaukee Bucks are second in the Eastern Conference with a 30-13 record. In a surprising turn of events, the Bucks have decided to fire head coach Adrian Griffin after just 43 games. It is a stunning move, and a lot of signs point to Doc Rivers being the replacement.

But the reasons why the Bucks fired Griffin so early came to light, per Shams Charania, Sam Amick, and Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

‘It was borne out of months of underwhelming play, with internal concerns growing about the severe decline of their once-elite defense, the flawed use of newcomer Damian Lillard alongside franchise centerpiece Giannis Antetokounmpo and a widespread fear that this group, which was widely expected to contend for a title, was likely to fall short if they stood pat. As far back as the In-Season Tournament in December, when the Bucks lost to the Pacers in Las Vegas and the internal skepticism grew regarding Griffin’s ability to lead this group, there were strong signs that a change was coming.'

The Bucks' patience ran out 

Bucks coach Adrian Griffin with his bags packed

The reality is this: The Bucks are a team with championship aspirations. After acquiring Damian Lillard in the offseason, the hopes were another NBA title run for the Bucks.

When Milwaukee lost four of five to start January, questions swirled, and a 6-5 January mark was ultimately a big issue for the franchise, per the Athletic report.

‘In January, the Bucks have assembled a 6-5 record and internally, team sources say, players began to question Griffin’s schemes on both sides of the floor and the strategy he laid out for them each night. While players were willing to be patient with Griffin as he learned on the job because of the team’s vast personnel changes at the start of the season, their questions grew more significant as the team failed to show substantial growth at the midway point of the season.'

The Bucks' defensive issues were another concern with Griffin running the show, and they had a meeting with Doc Rivers during the NBA In-Season Tournament in Las Vegas. Now, Adrian Griffin is out after 43 games in a stunning turn of events, and Doc Rivers is emerging as a lead candidate for the job.