Why Monta Ellis Will Shake Up Eastern Conference Playoff Picture

If David Stern were to announce every trade as if it were draft day, it would have gone a little something like this:

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With the first move of the 2012 NBA Trade Deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks send Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson to the Golden State Warriors for Ekpe Udoh, Kwame Brown and Monta Ellis.

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Since he wasn't there to announce it, you'll just have to take ESPN's word.

While the loss of Andrew Bogut is certain to upset some of the Milwaukee fanatics, the departure of Stephen Jackson is certain to offer some sort of relief. The acquisition of Ekpe Udoh, a 24-year-old defensive stalwart, is also likely to ease the pain.

And then there's this guy named Monta Ellis.

The NBA's ninth-leading scorer will join a team that has long thrived on the defensive end and sputtered on offense. They're led by superstar-on-the-rise Brandon Jennings, the surprising Drew Gooden and an up-and-coming Ersan Ilyasova, thus defying odds and currently holding onto the eighth seed in the East.

While those following the Eastern Conference playoff race expect the Bucks to sputter due to Bogut's absence, it's worth noting that Milwaukee has been playing without Bogut since the end of January.

For those concerned with the effect of Bogut's departure on the quality of the Bucks' defense, the same can be reiterated.

That's the Bucks' newfound advantage.

While Milwaukee has long lived and died by Jennings' inconsistent play on the offensive end of the ball, Monta Ellis has long carried the Warriors to mediocrity. He has averaged greater than 20 points in four out of the past five seasons, including 21.9 in 2012.

That's just .5 less than Stephen Jackson and Mike Dunleavy were averaging combined.

The All-Star snub is also a player who has thrived in the clutch, evident by his game-winning shot against the Bucks' division rival Indiana Pacers.

It's evident that Ellis will help the Bucks, as he and Udoh offer two players destined to receive playing time that Bogut and Jackson weren't even receiving; they were either injured or benched. The question to be posed, however, is how will this affect the Eastern Conference playoff picture?

With the New York Knicks currently behind the Milwaukee Bucks due to their tiebreaker, the Bucks could potentially hold one of the most glorified teams out of the postseason. Fittingly, the Bucks will have done this with their three leading scorers, including Ellis, receiving roughly the same amount of money as Carmelo Anthony alone.

Furthermore, the Bucks now possess the offensive firepower and prowess to counter the Chicago Bulls in a potential Round 1 meeting.

While no one would suggest that the Bucks are favored, their pairing of Jennings and Ellis is certainly a formidable duo that Chicago would struggle to contain. Add in Drew Gooden's career-year, including a triple-double against Cleveland, and this team becomes awfully difficult to take down.

You can cut it in any way you'd like, the fact of the matter is this: the Milwaukee Bucks improved their chances at making the playoffs, as well as winning in the playoffs.

While Andrew Bogut will be missed, the Bucks' possession of one of the best backcourts in professional basketball is certain to ease the pain.