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.
The Impact of Holiday's Trade to Boston
Holiday made the Celtics an entirely different team in ways both tangible and intangible. 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 Boston's defense to a suffocating level.
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.
A Defensive Marvel
Holiday's defensive prowess was particularly highlighted during the series against the Dallas Mavericks. He was Boston's most valuable player in that series, 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.
To put Holiday's impact into perspective, 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.
The Consistency Factor
Holiday's consistency throughout the series was remarkable. If you sign him, then 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. 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, rendering Chris Paul ineffective. His lateral movement, flexibility, strength, and anticipation are otherworldly. Jalen Brunson recently called Holiday the best defender in the league. Holiday 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. Moreover, his ball-hawk instincts 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.
In the clinching game 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 Hall of Fame Career in the Making
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. His 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 Doncic and Irving? That is an insane thing to say." Brunson echoed this sentiment, proclaiming, "Holiday [is] the best defender in the league."