When the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard last summer, they didn't anticipate Jrue Holiday ending up on the Boston Celtics. Fewer than nine months later, the Celtics have added an 18th championship banner to their all-time NBA ledger, thanks in large part to Holiday.
Holiday made the Celtics an entirely different team in both tangible and intangible ways. In his role, he thrived without the need to be a primary scorer or creator. This allowed him to fill in all the right gaps and elevate Boston's defense to a suffocating level.
Brad Stevens' Remarkable Tenure
Brad Stevens' tenure with the Celtics has been marked by some incredible trades. Landing Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White is considered among his best moves in recent memory. However, many argue that acquiring Holiday surpassed even those achievements. Holiday's defensive prowess was particularly highlighted during the series against the Dallas Mavericks, where he emerged as Boston's most valuable player.
Defensive Masterclass Against the Mavericks
In the series against the Mavericks, Holiday displayed his capability to shut down any opponent. Until Jayson Tatum put up a line of 31-11-8-2 in the clincher, Holiday's Game 2 performance was the standout single-game showing in the series. To provide some historical context, you would have to go back to Michael Jordan in 1998 to find another player who scored at least 38 points with zero turnovers through the first two games of a Finals, as Holiday did against Dallas.
The Mavericks' chances in the series dwindled as Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving found themselves unable to generate consistent offensive leverage. Although Jaylen Brown was impressive, it was Holiday who had Doncic and Irving in virtual shackles whenever he was on the floor. Holiday's consistency throughout the series was remarkable and proved instrumental in Boston clinching the title.
Holiday's Universal Impact
If you sign Holiday, then a title shot is almost guaranteed to follow. Even if Holiday were placed on other teams such as the Knicks, the Sixers, the Clippers, or the Lakers, and those teams didn't win a title, they would still be right in the mix.
Holiday is the only player in the league to have won two championships over the last four years. He played a crucial role in leading the Bucks to the 2021 championship against the Suns, where he rendered Chris Paul ineffective. Jalen Brunson recently called Holiday the best defender in the league, and it’s easy to see why. Holiday’s lateral movement, flexibility, strength, and anticipation are otherworldly. He demoralizes opponents to the point where they hesitate to even want the ball in their hands.
Beyond Defense
Holiday's contributions extend beyond defense. He consistently makes smart plays with the ball or cuts to the right spot. His ball-hawk instincts also help secure long offensive rebounds. He wrapped up the playoffs with impressive 50-40-95 shooting splits. In the Finals, Holiday averaged just under 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists on 53/42/100 shooting splits.
On Monday, Holiday scored the first six points for the Celtics, feasting in the dunker's spot all series as Tatum drew the defense's attention. Doncic and Irving were all too happy to fall asleep as Holiday slipped in behind them. Holiday earned himself a little more cash with the $1.2 million bonus worked into his contract for winning the championship. He checked off every incentive bonus available to him, totaling an extra $2.8 million, in what has truly been a dream season.
A Season to Remember
In less than a year, Holiday went from discovering he had been traded from the Bucks upon waking from a nap to winning the second championship of what is becoming a Hall of Fame career. Holiday’s impact on the Celtics has been immeasurable. In the world of professional sports, sometimes a single player can indeed make all the difference.
"I'm sure it happened at some point, but I can't recall Holiday getting truly beat one time in this series," stated an NBA analyst. "Against Doncic and Irving? That is an insane thing to say." Brunson echoed the sentiment, stating, "Holiday [is] the best defender in the league."
As the Celtics celebrate their 18th NBA championship, they'll undoubtedly look back at Holiday's incredible contributions with gratitude. From his defensive heroics to his clutch scoring and smart playmaking, Jrue Holiday has etched his name into Boston's storied basketball history.