The Boston Celtics are one win away from capturing the NBA title. Joel Embiid wondered if they would be in this position without an unintentional assist from an Eastern Conference rival.
During the offseason, the Milwaukee Bucks sent Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers in a package for Damian Lillard. Portland flipped the veteran point guard to Boston.
On Wednesday night, the Celtics took a 3-0 series lead following a 106-99 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Embiid questioned if Boston should thank Milwaukee on the cusp of its 18th title.
“Did the Bucks give them the championship?” Embiid asked.
He’s not the only NBA star to call out Milwaukee. Responding to Embiid’s post, Draymond Green agreed that the Bucks helped their competitor.
The Golden State Warriors said Milwaukee should have made a bigger effort to acquire Lilliard without moving Holiday.
“The answer to Joel’s question is yes. They actually did,” Green said on his podcast. “Because they traded Jrue away. I just think, even in that trade, you got to do all you can to keep Jrue.”
Holiday tallied just nine points on Wednesday, but the All-Star continued to make his presence felt in all facets of the game. On his 34th birthday, Holiday collected five assists and four rebounds while playing tenacious defense and making hustle plays not reflected in the box score.
“Jrue is literally everywhere. It’s unreal,” Celtics guard Derrick White said of his teammate after the game, via SB Nation’s Noa Dalzell. “I don’t know how he does it.”
Embiid knows that the Celtics had spent the last few years in the championship hunt. They have eliminated his Philadelphia 76ers three times over his career, but Boston won its last Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2008.
The Celtics can snap that drought with a Game 4 victory. Friday’s game starts at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.
Related: Joel Embiid Has 5-Word Reaction To Celtics’ Blockbuster Trade