Barring one of the most stunning upsets in NBA history, the Boston Celtics will face the Milwaukee Bucks in the second round of the NBA playoffs.
The Celtics completed a sweep of the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, and the Bucks hold a 3-0 series lead over the Detroit Pistons with Game 4 set for Monday night. Milwaukee should take care of business, and unless either the Toronto Raptors and/or Philadelphia 76ers squander 3-1 series leads, it’s going to be Bucks-Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals.
On paper, the Bucks would seem to have the edge. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. finished 60-22 in the regular season, good for the best record in the NBA. The Celtics, on the other hand, endured a tumultuous regular season that resulted in a disappointing No. 4 seed entering the playoffs.
But Boston, largely thanks to a resurgent Gordon Hayward, looks like a different team. And some, like Cris Carter, believe the Celtics actually have a chance to knock off the Bucks.
However, others, such as “First Things First” co-host Nick Wright, aren’t buying in on the C’s.
“The Celtics are playing some of their best basketball. I think Boston has the type of depth that they can challenge Milwaukee,” Carter said Monday morning. “It comes down to: Do you believe Boston can win one on the road in Milwaukee? I really believe they can.”
Countered Wright: “Do I think they can challenge Milwaukee? No, I do not. I think they should be incredibly proud of what they accomplished, beating the Pacers — it would have been a disaster if they lost to the Pacers — but Milwaukee is a great team that has been great all year long.”
"The Celtics are playing some of their best basketball. I think Boston has the type of depth that they can challenge Milwaukee. It comes down to: do you believe Boston can win one on the road in Milwaukee? I really believe they can." — @criscarter80 pic.twitter.com/XfxH04WnTB
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 22, 2019
For those unaware, Wright has been down on the Celtics all season, so it should come as no surprise that he’s rolling with the Bucks.
Here’s more from the FS1 talking heads:
"Do I think the Celtics are going to go to a rested Milwaukee with the probable MVP and steal home-court advantage in the first 2? No I don't. And if you don't then you gotta beat em 4 out of 5 times, and that's not happening." — @getnickwright pic.twitter.com/EKdzACEF6z
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) April 22, 2019
Ultimately, picking this (likely) series is very difficult. If the Celtics play like the team we saw during the regular season, they’ll get dump-trucked. But if they play up to their enormous potential, they could beat the Bucks with relative ease.
As far as second-round NBA playoff series go, this one would have more intrigue than any in recent memory.
