Amidst the chaos of the NBA Playoffs, it has certainly been a newsworthy week for both the Milwaukee Bucks and starting point guard Jrue Holiday.
Not only have the Bucks evened up their second round series against the Brooklyn Nets at two games apiece, but Holiday has been getting recognition for several other achievements. Just days ago, the guard was named a finalist for the NBA’s newly implemented Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award for his many off-the-court doings to make the community a better place.
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Back to his efforts on the floor, more recognition followed suit Monday night as Holiday was unsurprisingly named to the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team alongside teammate Giannis Antetokounmpo for their efforts during the regular season.
It was the third All-Defensive nod Holiday has received throughout his career, and he will be compensated handsomely as he is set to receive a $100K bonus for receiving the honors.
Jrue Holiday continues making his case as one of the best defenders in the NBA during his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks famously traded away a king’s ransom to acquire Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans last offseason because they knew he could improve this team significantly. Of course, one of the biggest factors in that was hoping he could turn the defense up a notch, which the guard has certainly done all throughout the regular season and the playoffs.
Holiday has given the Bucks a reliable defender that might be the best defensive player at his position – arguably regardless of position – in the association. He is not afraid to match up against any player, no matter the position. For reference, Holiday could be seen squaring off against Kevin Durant on one possession only to come down the floor and guard Kyrie Irving for the next. That versatility is unlike anything the Bucks had at their disposal previously and it helped the team thrive this year.
Statistically, Holiday found himself on the leaderboards as he finished 10th in total steals with 96 despite missing a handful of games. He played 59 games, which turned to an average of 1.6 takeaways per contest, which matched a previous career-high for the veteran. According to NBA.com/stats, Holiday tallied 187 total deflections this season, the eighth largest amount in the league. Those active hands undoubtedly helped the guard rack up more steals with each passing contest.
Yet, arguably the most memorable moment of Holiday’s third All-Defensive worthy season was his game against Atlanta Hawks on April 15 of this year. Primarily matched up with budding star Trae Young, Holiday could not have played one-time All-Star any better. Once again provided by NBA.com/stats, Holiday held Young in check all night by keeping him scoreless on 0-of-8 shooting, including 0-of-3 from 3-point range over 30.9 partial possessions. That included five turnovers from Young as Holiday had his number that night.
Although that stellar effort and many others this season helped Holiday finally earn his share of much-deserved recognition, his goals go beyond his third All-Defensive selection. Speaking to Yahoo! Sports’ Chris Haynes in a recent phone interview, Holiday made it known he believes he should be in the discussion for another defensive award:
"“Man, I feel like I’m the Defensive Player of the Year every year,” Holiday told Yahoo Sports in an exclusive phone interview. “I’m not joking about that. And I know this is my opinion, and other people have different opinions and they’ll probably think I’m crazy. But I think what I bring defensively on the court, a lot of people don’t really do, to be completely honest.“I feel like I should be in the conversation every year. I’m being serious. This isn’t the first year I’ve been playing defense this way.”"
A guard has not won the DPOY award since Gary Payton did it in 1996, but Holiday is the man many would put their money on if another will achieve it anytime soon. Although he was largely an afterthought in the discussion this year, expect him to be a staple in the running next season.