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After taking a 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals over the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, the Boston Celtics are on the precipice of the franchise’s 18th NBA title, as no team has ever come back from a 0-3 hole.
While acknowledging that the NBA Finals are all but over, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid also took a shot at the Milwaukee Bucks by wondering if they “gave” the C’s a championship.
Did the bucks give them the championship?
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 13, 2024
Embiid is referencing the fact that the Celtics acquired NBA champion and All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday in a trade. Holiday, however, was acquired in a trade with the Portland Trailblazers and not the Bucks.
Just days after the Bucks acquired Damian Lillard in a three-way trade with the Portland Trailblazers and Phoenix Suns in late September, Holiday was then acquired by the Celtics in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, a 2024 1st round pick, and a 2029 1st round pick.
Given Embiid’s personality, it’s entirely possible that his tweet was just a troll job and not an actual analysis of the NBA Finals. Either way, though, he sounds like a salty All-Star who hasn’t been able to get over the hump watching two rivals in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown do exactly that.
Heading into the 2023-24 season, the Celtics were the prohibitive betting favorite to win the NBA title with their odds hovering at +400.
The Celtics were the best team in the NBA during the regular season, as they were the only team to cross the 60-win mark, posting a league-best record of 64-18.