Tonight’s game between the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics would have been highly anticipated no matter what happened this previous offseason. That the Bucks swapped Jrue Holiday for Damian Lillard, only to see Holiday ultimately land with a conference rival like the Celtics only amps the drama. If sport is about theater and storylines, games like this are its purest form.
Where We’re At
Prior to the start of last week, these two teams couldn’t have looked to be on more different trajectories. The Bucks, 5-4 with an eyesore of a defense to boot, were looking for signs of coherence while the Celtics, 7-2 and boasting top marks on both ends of the floor and the league’s best net rating, looked like surefire leviathans in the East.