The Milwaukee Bucks swung for the fences when they traded for Jrue Holiday this offseason and it is safe to say at this point that it was worth it.
Widely recognized as the league’s most underrated player by fans and peers alike, Holiday has gotten more spotlight in Milwaukee than ever before. The guard has been nothing short of fantastic for the Bucks this season, giving them the upgrade in the backcourt that they desperately needed.
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One area that Holiday has particularly thrived at has been his presence on the defensive end. A two-time All-Defensive honoree, the guard has always been a robust defender, earning some high praise across the league throughout the years.
More recently, Holiday’s new teammate P.J. Tucker, who knows a thing or two about defense himself, spoke highly of the defensive excellence that the 30-year-old brings to the table. You can watch the full clip here on the Milwaukee Bucks YouTube page:
"“I think Jrue might be the best defender in the NBA for the last few years. Nobody talks about the things he does night in and night out. He doesn’t boast. He doesn’t talk a lot, so it goes under the radar, but to be out there with him, now I get to really see it. It’s unreal.”"
As under the radar as it might be, Holiday has undoubtedly had his share of impactful performances on the defensive end this season. With that being said, here are five players Holiday shut down defensively this year.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Jrue Holiday made Trae Young’s return a tough task
Squaring off against the Atlanta Hawks last week, Holiday’s main assignment defensively was budding All-Star guard Trae Young. Best known for his high-octane scoring prowess, Young would be a solid matchup for the defensive specialist Holiday.
However, the All-Defensive guard got the upper hand this time, holding Young to just 1-of-9 shooting with Holiday as the primary defender, per ESPN Stats & Info. Young struggled to get anything going on the offensive end with his shooting all night, but Holiday’s presence in particular kept him in check for the eight minutes they were matched up against one another. Furthermore, he also logged a whopping five turnovers when going up against Holiday.
It should be noted that this was Young’s first game back in the lineup after missing two straight due to a nagging calf injury. Some of his struggles could certainly be attributed to rust, but there is no question that Holiday’s defense only amplified that difficulty further. With a potential postseason meeting between these two teams possible, it is reassuring to see Holiday virtually take Young out of the game offensively.