When the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard last summer, they likely never anticipated that the move would result in Jrue Holiday ending up on the Boston Celtics. Yet, less than nine months later, the Celtics added their 18th championship banner to their all-time NBA ledger, with Holiday playing a key role in their success.
Holiday Transforms the Celtics
Jrue Holiday made the Celtics an entirely different team in both tangible and intangible ways. He thrived in a role where he didn't need to be the primary scorer or creator, filling in all the right gaps and elevating Boston's defense to a suffocating level. His contributions helped turn the Celtics into a championship-caliber team.
Stevens' Remarkable Trades
Brad Stevens' tenure with the Celtics has been marked by some incredible trades. Landing Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White are considered among his best moves in recent memory. However, many argue that acquiring Holiday surpassed even those achievements. Holiday's defensive prowess and overall contributions were particularly highlighted during the series against the Dallas Mavericks. He proved instrumental in Boston's championship run.
Defensive Dynamo
Holiday's defensive capabilities were on full display throughout the playoffs. He was Boston's most valuable player in the series against the Mavericks, consistently shutting down any opponent. Until Jayson Tatum's standout performance of 31 points, 11 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals in the clincher, Holiday's Game 2 performance was the standout showing of the series.
Holiday's performance in the Finals rewrote the record books. 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 failed to generate consistent offensive leverage, largely thanks to Holiday's suffocating defense.
A Hall of Fame Career in the Making
Jrue Holiday's consistency throughout the series was remarkable. His play has led many to believe that wherever Holiday goes, a title shot is almost guaranteed to follow. If he were placed on the Knicks, the Sixers, the Clippers, or the Lakers, even if those teams don't win a title, they would be right in the mix.
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. Jalen Brunson recently called Holiday "the best defender in the league," citing his lateral movement, flexibility, strength, and anticipation as otherworldly. Holiday demoralizes opponents to the point where they hesitate to even want the ball in their hands.
Offensive Contributions
Holiday's contributions extend beyond his defensive prowess. He consistently makes smart plays with the ball, cutting to the right spot when necessary. His ball-hawk instincts also help secure long offensive rebounds. 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's offensive contributions were crucial in the clinching game. He scored the first six points for the Celtics, feasting in the dunker's spot as Tatum drew the defense's attention. Doncic and Irving were caught napping as Holiday slipped in behind them, continuing his pattern of making timely and impactful plays.
A Dream Season
Jrue 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.
The Impact of a Single Player
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." His lockdown defense and timely offensive contributions were vital to the Celtics’ success, cementing his legacy as one of the best two-way players in the league.