Milwaukee Bucks: 3 matchups to watch for against the Brooklyn Nets
By Dalton Sell
Second matchup for Milwaukee Bucks — Jrue Holiday versus Kyrie Irving
Jrue Holiday has a sturdy reputation as one of the best defenders in the entire association, and he will have his hands full against these Nets. Not only will he spend time guarding Durant occasionally, but his top assignment will be slowing down Brooklyn’s lethal backcourt led by Kyrie Irving.
Irving did not play in the first meeting between these teams, which meant Holiday was primarily glued to James Harden. He did a fantastic job of limiting the former MVP in that game by holding him to just three points on 1-for-5 shooting in the nearly six and a half minutes that Holiday defended him. It appears that Harden will be sidelined for potentially both of these matchups as he continues nursing a hamstring injury, which means Holiday’s attention will divert to Irving.
The seven-time All-Star is having arguably the best scoring season of his career by averaging 26.9 points per contest while shooting 50.2 percent from the floor and 38.4 percent from deep. That prowess with the basketball makes him a tough cover for any defender, but if anyone can make life tough for Irving, it is Holiday. The two-time All-Defensive honoree has shut down a slew of household names on the offensive end this season, seemingly on his way to earning his third nod at the guard position after this year.
The robust defender must look to keep Irving’s scoring at bay throughout their time together on the floor. Irving’s offense versus Holiday’s defense is a heavyweight matchup, and only time will tell which of the two can prevail.