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.
Holiday's Transformative Role in Boston
Holiday made the Celtics an entirely different team in ways both tangible and intangible. Unlike many players, he thrived in a role where he did not have to be the primary scorer or creator. Instead, he filled in all the right gaps, elevating Boston's defense to a suffocating level. Brad Stevens' tenure with the Celtics has been marked by some incredible trades, and many argue that acquiring Holiday has surpassed even the acquisition of Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White.
Defensive Mastery Against the Mavericks
Holiday's defensive prowess was particularly highlighted during the series against the Dallas Mavericks. Widely considered Boston's most valuable player in that series, Holiday was capable of shutting down any opponent. Until Jayson Tatum put up a line of 31-11-8-2 in the clincher on Monday, Holiday's Game 2 performance was the standout single-game showing in this series. Remarkably, 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 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. His consistency throughout the series was nothing short of remarkable.
Holiday is one of those rare players whose presence almost guarantees a title shot. Whether placed on the Knicks, the Sixers, the Clippers, or the Lakers, if those teams aren't winning a title, they're right in the mix. Holiday is the only player in the league to win two championships over the last four years, having played a crucial role in leading the Bucks to the 2021 championship against the Suns where he rendered Chris Paul ineffective.
A Defensive Juggernaut
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. Yet, Holiday's contributions extend beyond defense. He consistently makes smart plays with the ball and cuts to the right spots, often securing long offensive rebounds with his ball-hawk instincts.
Holiday wrapped up the playoffs with impressive 50-40-95 shooting splits. In the Finals, he averaged just under 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists on 53/42/100 shooting splits. Holiday scored the first six points for the Celtics on Monday, feasting in the dunker's spot all series as Tatum drew the defense's attention. Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving were continually caught off-guard as Holiday slipped in behind them.
A Season to Remember
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. 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. As an NBA analyst noted, "I'm sure it happened at some point, but I can't recall Holiday getting truly beat one time in this series. Against Doncic and Irving? That is an insane thing to say." Brunson echoed this sentiment, affirming, "Holiday [is] the best defender in the league."