After two-time All-Star helped the win the 2021 NBA title, his name was forever cemented in Milwaukee lore. But two offseasons later, Holiday found himself traded by the franchise to the as part of the Damian Lillard deal, and his feelings towards his former team shifted quite a bit. The Celtics and Bucks are currently the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, and Holiday’s presence on the Celtics, in particular, has propelled them to become the best team in 2024. Holiday has woven in well with the rest of the stars in the lineup, leading to a superteam far better than many we see scattered across the rest of the league. Since the two teams are the two best in the conference, it may not be a surprise if the two end up meeting in the Eastern Conference Finals this postseason. Holiday recently offered his thoughts and motivation behind beating the Bucks when asked about a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup between the two franchises. To put it lightly, Holiday's focus is solely on winning a title, and if the Bucks are in the way, they're simply keeping him for the ultimate goal. “I want to beat them, because I want to win the championship.” —Jrue Holiday on facing the Bucks It is undeniable that the Boston Celtics are Finals favorites, currently donning a 60-16 record. They are 13 games ahead of the second place Bucks, who sit at an also impressive 47-29, and seven games better than any other team in the NBA — the and defending champions sit tied atop the Western Conference at 53-23 each. Improved Game Holiday, in particular, has been able to elevate his game higher than before, when he was with the Bucks. When in Milwaukee, Holiday’s main role was to oppose lead guards, but with the Celtics, he now guards everybody, including the league’s best stars, which has improved his game even further. “Where I came from, we kinda did one or two different things. But here, any type of defense you can think of, we’ve probably done it. Just thinking the game, looking at matchups, looking at how we can disrupt teams out of timeouts. Even out-of-bounds plays, [sideline out of bounds], whatever it is. Just trying to look at the game and think it differently.” —Jrue Holiday on his change of game Holiday was traded from the Bucks in the 2023 offseason to the , as part of the blockbuster deal which sent to Milwaukee. The move came as a surprise to Holiday as the chemistry he built with the organization was great enough to land them their first championship in a half century. “The only reason why I think it was tough was because it was a shock. That’s the only reason I was surprised. I’m not necessarily surprised because I was traded. I’ve been traded randomly before. I know it’s a part of it. You kinda just deal with it. I’m not sure if I have really processed that. I’ve been so locked into this [Celtics] team and trying to win.” —Jrue Holiday on the process of being traded Four days later, Holiday was flipped to the Celtics in exchange for Malcom Brogdon, Robert Williams III, and a couple of first round draft picks. The Celtics attempted right away to get Holiday to fit in to their gameplan, and it has worked out. “I really just wanted to build a connection and get on the same page about how we think the game and see how he thinks the game. And just kinda have that shared mental model about how the game can be processed in real time and different things that we can go to at different times to be able to take advantage of what we have, or to take away the opponents’ biggest strength. Whether that’s over the course of an entire game or on one particular play.” —Joe Mazzulla Fitting in With Boston Holiday is not the offensive prowess that his companion and Boston superstar Jayson Tatum is, but he has provided plenty of value for a stacked Celtics squad this year. In 65 games played, Holiday is averaging 12.6 points per game, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.9 assists. PPG 12.6 16.2 RPG 5.5 4.2 APG 4.9 6.4 FG% 47.9 46.3 3PT% 43.3 37.1 He is
shooting 47.9 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from the three point range. His basic stats are down overall from his career average, but his shooting is up, and his defense has been elite. “He’s a hooper. He’s a hooper, man. He makes some shots you’re just like, ‘God, how the hell is he making this shot?’ He excels in spots on the floor that usually people don’t excel at. He’s really good in spots on the floor where the defenders are usually slowing down and relaxed because they know it’s not a good spot for you to be.” —Giannis Antetokounmpo on Jrue Holiday According to former teammate and NBA superstar , Jrue Holiday shines due to his defensive prowess and his leadership ability, as well as clubhouse presence. His offensive numbers may be down this year overall, but on a Celtics team as loaded as the one he is on, the team hardly misses that difference. “He’s a great leader. He’s been aggressive playing with the right pace. He’s in his prime right now. Not only offensively, but defensively he’s a beast. That’s what makes him amazing. You see a lot of people who can give you 20 any given night offensively, but defensively they’re not as good. Jrue is always on every given night. His defense is always on and ready to go.” —Giannis Antetokounmpo The Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks are both loaded with superstar talent, and wins. They are both expected to make deep playoff runs, and if that is the case, they may be on a collision course with each other. And if that happens, Jrue Holiday has made it clear that he is ready and winning to defeat his former team en route to his second championship.