Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers player, commented on the NBA Finals series between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks.
As the Boston Celtics hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, they are on the verge of securing the franchise’s 18th NBA championship. No team has ever recovered from a 0-3 deficit in the Finals, making Boston’s win almost certain.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, while acknowledging the Celtics’ likely win, took a jab at the Milwaukee Bucks by suggesting they “handed” the Celtics a championship.
Embiid’s comment points to the Celtics’ acquisition of All-Star and NBA champion Jrue Holiday. However, it’s worth noting that Holiday was actually traded from the Portland Trailblazers, not the Bucks.
In late September, following a three-team trade involving the Bucks, Trailblazers, and Phoenix Suns that brought Damian Lillard to Milwaukee, the Celtics acquired Holiday. Boston traded Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, a 2024 first-round pick, and a 2029 first-round pick to Portland for Holiday.
Did the bucks give them the championship?
— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) June 13, 2024
Given Embiid’s playful and often provocative personality, his remark could easily be seen as a mere attempt to stir the pot rather than a serious critique of the NBA Finals. Regardless, it comes across as the words of a frustrated All-Star watching his rivals Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown succeed where he hasn’t.
Before the 2023-24 season began, the Celtics were the clear favorites to win the NBA title, with betting odds at +400.
The Celtics proved to be the best team in the NBA during the regular season, achieving a league-best record of 64-18 and being the only team to surpass 60 wins.
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