Milwaukee Bucks: 5 most crucial matchups in NBA Finals vs. Phoenix Suns
By Dalton Sell
Jrue Holiday versus Chris Paul will be a must-see matchup in NBA Finals between Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns
Circling back to Holiday, the guard has showcased his defensive brilliance throughout this playoff run with the Bucks, but he faces a mighty challenge heading into the NBA Finals. In all likelihood, the three-time All-Defensive honoree will be tasked with matching up against Chris Paul.
Holiday and Paul played just one regular season matchup against one another this year, as the former was sidelined due to a positive COVID-19 test. The makes for a small sample size when registering the numbers as Paul scored seven points on 3-of-6 shooting across 24.9 partial possessions when defended by Holiday. Those numbers do not exactly jump off but page, but be real here, this is CP3, a future Hall of Famer who is having another fantastic playoff run. Playing in his first NBA Finals 16 years into his career will certainly have him motivated, and Holiday must match that intensity on both ends.
Paul is a crafty offensive mind with an electric handle and a prolific mid-range shot. He is also a lethal player in the pick-and-roll, which will also be something to watch in the aforementioned Ayton matchup. Paul’s stellar basketball abilities that have established him as one of the top point guards ever to don an NBA jersey need little rehashing, but slowing him down will be a tough battle, to say the least. Holiday has consistently matched up against other household guards like Goran Dragic, Kyrie Irving, and Trae Young in this postseason, and Chris Paul will be the latest name added to that list.
It will display masterful offense versus outstanding defense when Paul and Holiday hit the floor, and this is a matchup that fans should have their popcorn ready for.