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.
Jrue Holiday: A Game-Changing Addition
Holiday made the Celtics an entirely different team in ways both tangible and intangible. In Boston, he thrived in a role where he did not have to be a primary scorer or creator. Instead, he filled in all the right gaps and elevated the team’s defense to a suffocating level.
Brad Stevens' tenure with the Celtics has been marked by some incredible trades, including landing Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White, which are considered among his best moves in recent memory. Many argue, however, that acquiring Holiday surpassed even those achievements. His defensive prowess was particularly highlighted during the series against the Dallas Mavericks, where he was Boston's most valuable player. Capable of shutting down any opponent, Holiday was able to contain Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, preventing them from generating consistent offensive leverage.
Unmatched Defensive Skills
Jalen Brunson recently called Holiday the best defender in the league, and it's easy to see why. His lateral movement, flexibility, strength, and anticipation are otherworldly. Holiday demoralizes opponents to the point where they hesitate to even want the ball in their hands. His contributions extend beyond defense; he consistently makes smart plays with the ball and cuts to the right spot. His ball-hawk instincts also help secure long offensive rebounds.
Historical Performance
To illustrate Holiday's impact, consider his Game 2 performance against Dallas. Until Jayson Tatum put up a line of 31-11-8-2 in the clincher on Monday, Holiday's Game 2 showing was the standout single-game performance in the series. 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. Throughout the series, Holiday's consistency was remarkable, making him indispensable to the team's success.
Stats That Speak Volumes
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. He scored the first six points for the Celtics in the final game, 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.
This extraordinary performance earned Holiday a little more cash with a $1.2 million bonus worked into his contract for winning the championship. In fact, 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.
A Hall of Fame Trajectory
Holiday is the only player in the league to win 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. His impact on the Celtics has been immeasurable. In professional sports, sometimes a single player can indeed make all the difference.
As one NBA analyst stated, "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." Holiday’s defensive excellence is repeatedly echoed within the league, with Brunson affirming, "Holiday [is] the best defender in the league."
The addition of Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics not only delivered an 18th championship banner but also showcased how a single player can elevate an entire team to new heights. His journey from being traded to becoming an indispensable asset in a championship team underscores the unpredictable and thrilling nature of professional sports.