Before receiving his 2024 championship ring ahead of Monday night’s Celtics and Jazz game, former Celtics wing Svi Mykhailiuk met with reporters to reflect on his time with the team and their title run.
Within that conversation, Mykhailiuk noted that the trade for Jrue Holiday on the eve of training camp boosted his confidence in the team’s chances to win it all.
“I felt like when we got Jrue, our chances were higher,” Mykahiliuk said. “I wouldn’t say it was inevitable, but it felt like, okay, we’ve got a really good chance to win everybody stays healthy.”
That sentiment was echoed throughout the NBA. Rival executives responded to the trade with texts like, “Well, f--- us,” and “Oof, this sucks,” knowing it tipped the scales in Boston’s favor on the way to Banner 18.
Holiday’s impact was undeniable throughout the Celtics’ championship run, especially when the stakes were highest. In the Eastern Conference Finals, he made a strong case for MVP – averaging 18.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists – while delivering key moments like the game-sealing steal in Game 3 and the crucial offensive rebound in Game 4. His impact carried into the NBA Finals, where he averaged 14.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 3.8 assists, leading the team with 26 points in a critical Game 2.
And if the Celtics are going to repeat, Holiday will be a key factor, which makes his performance in Friday night’s 103-91 win over the Miami Heat even more welcoming.
Holiday, who has had an up-and-down season, battling a shoulder injury earlier this year and currently dealing with mallet finger on his right pinky, had his best game of the season. With his finger encased in a black cast, he finished with 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting (66.7%) from the field and 5-of-8 (62.5%) from three, along with four rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and a steal.
His 25 points set a new career-high in a regular-season game as a Celtic, while his five three-pointers tied his season-high. Each one was celebrated with his new “Dr. Evil” celebration, touching his straightened pinky to his mouth, twisting the knife into a Miami defense that dared him to shoot.
With all the scoring talent on the Celtics’ roster, Holiday isn’t always going to get 15 shots up, though he is plenty capable. He averaged 10.0 shots per game a season ago. He’s down to 9.0 this season, the fewest over his 16-year NBA career since his rookie season (7.1).
But when he is aggressive, the Celtics are a more dangerous team. When Holiday scores 15+ points the Celtics are 38-3, including playoffs. When he scores 20+, they are 11-2.
“I think some games we need to do a better job of getting him involved. He’s just so selfless and doesn’t care about anything about winning,” said Derrick White. “But he still is Jrue Holiday and still is a problem out there. So, we’ve definitely gotta be intentional, especially if he feels like he has an advantage.”
What Holiday brings to the table each night can sometimes go unnoticed. He doesn’t always stuff the stat sheet, but his steady presence on both ends of the floor is recognized by his teammates and coaches alike.
“It is overlooked, but it’s overlooked because that’s just the type of person that he is and the type of teammate that he is,” said head coach Joe Mazzulla. “He’ll do whatever it takes to win and for his team. Tonight, the ball found him early. I’m glad he was aggressive and was able to build through that. I thought he made some timely plays and some big-time plays. I’m really happy for him because he does get overlooked at times, but we’re really grateful to have him.”
“Hasn’t Jrue Holiday been underrated his whole career? He just does so many different things to help us win,” added White. “Every game is just something different with him. He just finds new ways to help us win games. He’s one of the best players in the league and has been that for awhile in this league.”
It’s only fitting that the future Hall of Famer’s big night helped clinch Boston’s playoff spot. With Friday’s win over Miami, parlayed with an Atlanta loss, the Celtics are headed to the postseason for the 11th consecutive year—the longest active streak in the NBA.
As Friday night showed, when Holiday is on the floor, good things happen—and his influence will only grow as the postseason approaches
“They quickly forget about – Two-time All-Star, two-time Olympian, two-time champion in the league,” said Jayson Tatum on Holiday. “It’s about to be, what? Year 15, maybe 14? And he’s still playing at a high-level, and one of the key guys on a championship team. It’s one of those Hall of Fame careers. I’ve been very fortunate to be on a championship team with him. Won two Gold Medals with him. I, for sure, appreciate Jrue Holiday.”
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