Would You Rather The Celtics Won Game 7 Or The Draft Lottery?
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics are in the rare, enviable position of competing in a Game 7 in the NBA Playoffs on Monday while simultaneously holding the best odds to win Tuesday's NBA Draft Lottery. Ideally, the Celtics win both - but what if you could only have one?
The Celtics hold the Brooklyn Nets' 2017 first-round pick, meaning they have the best odds of landing the No. 1 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft when the lottery takes place on Tuesday night. If they can't get past the Wizards in Game 7, they could still score a huge win in the lottery, where they can finish no lower than No. 4 overall.
The Celtics have a very winnable Game 7 against the Wizards and could gain some valuable experience in a Conference Final series against the Cavs, but they could also land themselves a surefire star player at the top of the draft. At the same time, the draft lottery isn't necessarily a must-win on Tuesday, as the 2017 NBA Draft doesn't have an undisputed franchise-altering player at No. 1 overall, a la LeBron James or Tim Duncan.
98.5 The Sports Hub's Zolak & Bertrand debated the idea of picking between Game 7 and the NBA Draft Lottery during Monday's program. Marc Bertrand said he would rather the Celtics win the No. 1 pick at the draft lottery than beat the Wizards in Game 7.
"I'd take the No. 1 overall pick," said Bertrand. "If that was the 'must' situation, if you had to choose I'm choosing that No. 1 pick. ... That's your biggest asset right now in terms of building."
Listen to the full podcast below:
Vote below and share your pick in the comments!