When the Milwaukee Bucks traded for Damian Lillard last summer, they certainly didn't anticipate Jrue Holiday would end up on the Boston Celtics. However, fewer than nine months later, the Celtics have added an 18th championship banner to their all-time NBA ledger, and Holiday has been a significant factor in their success.
Transforming the Celtics
Holiday has made the Celtics an entirely different team in both tangible and intangible ways. Thriving in a role where he didn't need to be the primary scorer or creator, Holiday filled in all the right gaps and elevated Boston's defense to a suffocating level. Under Brad Stevens' tenure, the Celtics have made some incredible trades, with the acquisitions of Kristaps Porzingis and Derrick White considered among the best moves in recent memory. However, many argue that the acquisition of Holiday has surpassed even those achievements.
Defensive Mastery
Holiday’s defensive prowess was particularly highlighted during the series against the Dallas Mavericks, where he was arguably Boston's most valuable player. Capable of shutting down any opponent, Holiday's Game 2 performance stood out until Jayson Tatum put up a line of 31-11-8-2 in the clincher. 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 Dončić and Kyrie Irving found themselves unable to generate consistent offensive leverage. Although Jaylen Brown was impressive, it was Holiday who had Dončić and Irving in virtual shackles whenever he was on the floor. Holiday's consistency throughout the series was remarkable. If you sign him, a title shot is almost guaranteed to follow. If Holiday were placed on the Knicks, the Sixers, the Clippers, or the Lakers, and if those teams aren't winning a title, they're right in the mix.
A Champion's Impact
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, and for good reason. Holiday's lateral movement, flexibility, strength, and anticipation are otherworldly. He demoralizes opponents to the point where they hesitate even to want the ball in their hands.
Beyond Defense
Holiday's contributions extend beyond defense. He consistently makes smart plays with the ball and cuts to the right spots. 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. He scored the first six points for the Celtics in the clincher, feasting in the dunker's spot all series as Tatum drew the defense's attention. Dončić and Irving were all too happy to fall asleep as Holiday slipped in behind them.
A Rewarding Season
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 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 Dončić and Irving? That is an insane thing to say." Brunson added, "Holiday [is] the best defender in the league."