The trade sending Damian Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers to the Milwaukee Bucks is a gut punch for the Miami Heat, the betting favorites to land the All-Star point guard before Wednesday’s three-team deal that also involved the Phoenix Suns.
But what about the other Eastern Conference contenders?
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“Yes, Miami’s the most disappointed right now,” Nick Wright said Thursday on FS1’s “First Things First.” “But aren’t the next two most disappointed teams Philly and Boston?”
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Fair point.
The Bucks leapfrogged the Celtics in the NBA Finals betting market after Wednesday’s blockbuster, as Lillard joining forces with two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee is scary for the rest of the league.
Boston still has the firepower to contend for a title, no doubt, especially with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown still evolving and possessing the familiarity that Lillard and Antetokounmpo don’t. But the Celtics’ path to Banner 18 definitely got a whole lot tougher with Lillard going from West to East.
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“I think Boston’s gotta feel like, ‘Gosh darn it. We got (Kristaps) Porzingis. We’ve been right there banging on the door. And now, Milwaukee is, like you said (Chris Broussard), clearly the favorite in the East,’ ” Wright said.
Of course, it’ll be interesting to see if the Celtics — long considered a potential suitor for Lillard — throw a counterpunch. One name to watch: Jrue Holiday, who was traded from Milwaukee to Portland as part of Wednesday’s deal.
It might be a long shot, but the Celtics reportedly intend to explore the possibility of landing Holiday, an excellent defender who would be a huge pickup for whichever team acquires his services.
Featured image via David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports Images
