Milwaukee Bucks: 3 goals for Jrue Holiday in 2020-21 season
By Dalton Sell
Goal No. 2 – Elevate the defense
The Bucks ranked first in defensive rating last season, having solidified themselves as the best defensive team in the association. Antetokounmpo earned Defensive Player of the Year honors for his efforts, while Brook Lopez earned All-Defensive honors. Now, the Bucks have added Holiday, a two-time All-Defensive honoree into the equation as well.
Holiday has built up a reputation as one of the best defenders in the league, arguably the best at his position among his peers. One such believer is Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant, who expressed his admiration for Holiday’s defensive expertise on an episode of The Old Man and the Three podcast.
Durant specifically alluded to when he was matched up against Holiday in a 2018 playoff series and how the guard made it a tough outing for him as transcribed by USA Today’s Lonzo Wire:
"“Jrue Holiday is solidified as probably the best defender in the league at the guard position… You put Jrue in any system, any coach is going to ask him to guard the best player. We played them in 2018, second round and he guarded me the whole series. He was picking me up full court, he was guarding me in the post. Actually, it was tough to dribble on Jrue Holiday. He slides his feet so well, he’s got good hands, he’s strong, he’s got good instincts… He’s special. He’s special on that side of the ball.”"
Holidays gives the Bucks another top-tier defender to throw at opposing players, and they will need him to be every bit of good as Durant described him. The guard is undoubtedly capable, and it will be compelling to see where he fits on that side of the ball.