Joel Embiid posted a question on social media after the Boston Celtics took a 3-0 lead in the 2024 NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
“Did the Bucks give them the championship?” Embiid said referring to the offseason move that led to Damian Lillard coming to Milwaukee and sending Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers, who later traded Holiday to the Boston Celtics. The Celtics acquired Holiday in exchange for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, and two-first round picks.
Even though the actual deal that brought Holiday to Boston went through Portland, Embiid squarely put the blame on the Bucks for letting Holiday, one of the main contributors to Milwaukee’s 2021 NBA title, walk away and allow chief conference rival Boston to snag him and be a difference-maker in its championship run. Holiday was a two-way standout in the Celtics’ convincing 4-1 series win over the Mavericks in the 2024 NBA Finals.
Holiday’s role with the Celtics was far different than his role with the Bucks. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are Boston’s two primary scorers and the ball is in their hands the majority of the time. Holiday adjusted to his new role, playing off the ball more and playing in the dunker spot more than he’s ever had his entire career. What Holiday didn’t change was his lockdown defense.
The six-time All-NBA defensive player put on an absolute clinic on how to play on-ball defense, especially in the NBA Finals against Kyrie Irving. Irving entered the Finals smoking hot as he averaged 27 points per game in Western Conference finals. With Holiday as the primary defender on him, Irving struggled mightily against the Celtics. Irving was held to 12, 16, and 15 points in three of the five games, and he was unable to shake free from Holiday’s grip.
Holiday was the catalyst of a smothering Boston defense that held the Mavericks under 100 points four times — all Celtics victories.
On Draymond Green’s podcast, “The Draymond Green Show,” the Golden State Warriors forward said the Celtics were gifted a title thanks to the Bucks’ lack of foresight, the Blazers’ tanking, and the creative mind of general manager Brad Stevens.
Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis were the two big acquisitions by Stevens during the offseason. Both were instrumental in helping the Celtics produce a league-best 64 wins and the No. 1 overall seed in the postseason. They were significant upgrades from Robert Williams and Marcus Smart. Both were members of Boston’s 2022 Finals runner-up team.
“We knew we need to make some changes. Brad [Stevens] brought in Jrue and KP, and we were able to raise banner No. 18,” Celtics majority owner Wyc Grousbeck said while accepting the 18th championship trophy in franchise history.
Smart won NBA defensive player of the year in 2022, but he was more of a terrific help defender than a straight-up shutdown defender. He is also a world-class flopper, which hurt his team more than it helped. Holiday, by contrast, is arguably the best one-on-one defender in basketball and flopping is not in his vocabulary. A true lockdown perimeter guard who can be left on an island and be able to shut down his man with little help.
Holiday’s impact wasn’t just felt on the defensive end. His leadership and voice in the huddle were immeasurable, helping Tatum and Brown navigate through tense moments in the postseason. Holiday’s calming voice — something Smart couldn’t provide because he wore his emotions on his sleeve — was exactly what the Celtics needed to get over the hump after multiple trips to the conference finals and falling one game short of a title in 2022.
“I think there’s some other things Milwaukee could have done to keep Jrue. But yes, they did [give Boston the championship] … Joel Embiid’s question that he knew the answer to is absolutely correct,” Draymond said on his podcast. “It did give them the championship and Boston has done the job of putting it together. You got to give those guys credit … but he gave it to them.”
Even Tatum couldn’t believe the Celtics were able to acquire Holiday.
“I don’t know how they let us get him, but I’m so happy we got Jrue on our team and we’re so fortunate,” Tatum said after Game 3 in an interview with NBA TV.
The Celtics certainly wouldn’t have beaten the Mavericks in the NBA Finals without Holiday, now a two-time NBA champion.
“I’m just about winning, and I want to win, whatever it takes,” Holiday told Fox Sports. “It doesn’t matter if I score. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if I’m on the court. If I’m handing people water bottles and towels, and if that’s helping us build our confidence and good chemistry and getting us wins, then I’ll do it.”
To make sure Holiday is not going anywhere, the Celtics signed him to a four-year extension worth $135 million. The contract will keep Holiday in Boston through the 2027-28 season.
Celtics are not making the same mistake the Bucks made.