Milwaukee Bucks: Handing out player awards at the quarter mark

Milwaukee Bucks Defensive Player at the quarter way mark – Jrue Holiday

Unlike the previous two selections, there is certainly some competition trying to decipher the Defensive Player of the Quarter for the Bucks. Between Donte DiVincenzo, Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez,  and more, you cannot go wrong with this unit on defense. However, it seems feasible right now to believe that Jrue Holiday is deserving of the honors.

The Bucks knew that they were trading for arguably the best defensive guard in the association when they agreed to the deal for Holiday this offseason, and he has lived up to expectations thus far. The two-time All-Defensive honoree is currently averaging a career-best 1.8 steals per game, tied for the third-most among players in the league. Holiday is also tied for seventh with 60 total deflections, serving as a disruptor on the defensive end.

As a one-on-one defender, Holiday will make his opponents work for every single shot, regardless of who he is matched up against. The most commendable characteristic about Jrue is his willingness to guard any player at any position and any size, as seen in their recent matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. When the Bucks needed Holiday to slow down the bigger James Harden, Holiday stepped up to the plate. When Kevin Durant started giving them issues, the 6’3″ Holiday went toe-to-toe with the 7’0″ MVP without hesitation.

That versatility on the defensive end has been pivotal for the Bucks this season. There are very few guards that can guard nearly every position on the floor to the extent that Jrue Holiday does, and his defense has been exceptional.