Jrue Holiday: The Celtics’ Defensive Warrior
In the heart of the Boston Celtics’ training court, with the afternoon sun’s rays illuminating the 18 championship banners, Jrue Holiday gestures towards the practice court. Then, he points to the weight room on the other side and finally, brings his hand to his head, legs, and feet. It’s midday on April 19th and the Celtics guard has just finished his workout.
As Jaylen Brown practices nearby shots, Holiday shares his philosophy on his NBA hallmark: defense. The intensity is palpable as he speaks.
“I don’t like getting scored on,” Holiday says. “It’s that simple. For me, competitiveness is winning every possession or in everything you do. So on an offensive possession I’m trying to win as well, but defensively, I feel like making a stop against an individual is like, ‘damn, man, you stopped me’”.
Jrue Holiday
Holiday grew up in a family of athletes where defense was paramount. His parents, Toya and Shawn, played basketball at Arizona State. His three sons, Jrue, Justin, and Aaron, made it to the NBA, and his daughter Lauren played college basketball at UCLA. In his childhood, defense was non-negotiable. Shawn taught them specific techniques and principles.
As Holiday speaks, the city’s energy pulses. Thousands of people have traveled to compete in the Boston Marathon. But the day before the famous race, the Celtics embarked on their own path towards a possible championship, something not achieved since Bill Russell played for the Celtics in the 1960s.
That journey continues in Game 2 of the second-round series against the New York Knicks, where the Celtics are down 1-0. Holiday played in Game 1, an overtime loss after missing three games with a hamstring strain. The Celtics are happy to have him back.
“What Jrue does for us is elite,” Celtics center Al Horford said. “The impact he has on our team cannot be measured.”
Al Horford
Celtics coach Joe Mazzula highlights Holiday’s intangibles: “The mindset with which he plays, the selflessness with which he plays, but the physicality, the toughness, and the defensive versatility: his ability to defend different positions, his ability to pressure the ball, his ability to take individual player tendencies and simply make winning plays.”
Holiday, in his 16th NBA season, has won two Olympic gold medals, two NBA championships, and numerous defensive accolades. He has been voted the league’s best perimeter defender in three of the last four annual NBA general manager surveys. He has finished in the top eight in Defensive Player of the Year voting five times. NBA coaches consider him a nightmare to game plan against.
Holiday’s influence on defensive prowess dates back to his uncle Dwight Holiday, who played at the University of Hawaii in the 1970s. Dwight proudly recalls having defended the top scorers of the time, including Ron King, Eddie Boyd, and Bird Averitt.
Dwight learned the principles of defense from his coach, Len Wilkins, who in turn was inspired by Pete Newell’s teams. Wilkins taught Dwight to stay low, move his feet, and watch the opponent’s body instead of their face. Dwight passed on this knowledge to his brother Shawn, who then shared it with his children, including Jrue.
Aaron Holiday, guard for the Houston Rockets, remembers how his father taught them the basic defensive technique. Toya and Shawn emphasized that defense was a choice, and that although offense was important, defense was key to success.
Jrue Holiday excelled as a two-way player in high school and at UCLA. His wife, Lauren Cheney, a prominent soccer player, also understood the importance of defense and teamwork.
In 2009, Holiday was selected by the Philadelphia 76ers. There, defense became his way of earning minutes. Holiday meticulously studied his opponents’ tendencies and underwent intense defensive training.
As the accolades piled up, Holiday became an All-Star, and received defensive honors, including recognition from Damian Lillard as the league’s best defender.
In 2020, Holiday joined the Milwaukee Bucks, where he collaborated with Charles Lee, who was impressed by his dedication and curiosity to improve. Holiday employed defensive tactics that the Bucks’ coaching staff nicknamed “The Holiday”.
Brad Stevens, now the Celtics’ general manager, remembered how difficult it was to plan against Holiday when he was a coach. Stevens managed to bring Holiday to the Celtics in 2023, and in his first season, Holiday proved his worth. In the playoffs, he limited players like Tyler Herro, Darius Garland, and Tyrese Haliburton, and in the Finals, he contained Kyrie Irving.
In Game 1 of the playoff series against the Orlando Magic, Holiday demonstrated his defensive excellence once again. Defending Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero, Holiday forced errors and missed shots, contributing to the Celtics’ victory. His impact translated into points, assists, and key steals.
Magic coach Jamahl Mosley acknowledged the difficulty of facing Holiday, while Stevens praised his team mentality and ability to help win.
Dwight Holiday, from a distance, observes and recognizes the teachings he passed on to his nephew. Jrue hopes to inspire others to value defense, demonstrating that one can have a long and successful career in the NBA thanks to this facet of the game.
