Late last month, the Milwaukee Bucks made the surprising decision to fire coach Adrian Griffin despite the team's 30-13 start to the 2023-24 season.
Veteran coach Doc Rivers was hired as Griffin's replacement.
Bucks owners and fans have championship expectations this season. But Rivers, who won an NBA title as head coach of the Boston Celtics in 2008, failed to live up to expectations, at least during his first six games with the Bucks.
Milwaukee fell to 1-5 under Rivers with Thursday night's 129-105 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The lopsided loss allowed some of the Bucks' bench players to see action in the fourth quarter, including reserve forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Thanasis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks during the fourth quarter of a game against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center on December 27, 2023, 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 elder Antetokounmpo stood by the scorer's table waiting to check in for Thursday's game, Timberwolves announcer Jim Petersen declared that the Bucks were essentially losing any comeback attempt.
HEAT'S HAYWOOD HIGHSMITH FINED FOR CARELESS DRIVING IN ACCIDENT, VICTIM SERIOUSLY INJURED
“The white flag is being waved,” Petersen said.
“Why do you say that, Jim Pete?” Timberwolves announcer Michael Grady asked.
“Because Thanasis is preparing to enter the game,” Petersen responded. Milwaukee trailed the Timberwolves by more than 20 points at the time of Antetokounmpo's substitution.
The Bucks were shorthanded in 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 the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on February 3, 2024. (Jerome Miron/USA Today Sports)
Thanasis finished the game with two points during his five minutes. The New York Knicks drafted Thanasis in the second round in 2014. He is averaging just over four minutes per game this season in 20 games.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
The win over the Bucks improved the Timberwolves to 36-16. As of Friday, Minnesota is tied for first place in the Western Conference standings with the defending champion Denver Nuggets.
Follow Fox News Digital sports coverage in X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
