The Milwaukee Bucks made a significant offseason trade prior to the 2023-24 season, sending point guard Jrue Holiday to the Portland Trailblazers and shooting guard Grayson Allen to the Phoenix Suns in order to acquire All-Star guard Damian Lillard. Holiday was released by the Trailblazers immediately following the trade and subsequently signed with the Boston Celtics.
Armed with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Lillard, the Bucks were supposed to make a deep run in the NBA Playoffs this year. Unfortunately, their season was marred by coaching controversy and injuries, the latter of which affected their ability to advance. Milwaukee was, once again, eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
The team that beat Milwaukee, of course, was the Indiana Pacers, who are currently facing Holiday’s Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. On Saturday night, in Game Three, Holiday came up with a clutch defensive play that had many Bucks fans reminiscing about the 2021 NBA Finals.
Jrue Holiday Had an Iconic Steal for the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Finals
In three seasons with the Bucks, Holiday averaged 18.5 points, 6.8 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. The team’s crowning achievement came in his first season with Milwaukee as they advanced to the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.
In Game Five on the Finals, Holiday stripped the ball from Suns guard Devin Booker. On the ensuing fastbreak, he lobbed the ball to Giannis for one of the most iconic dunks in franchise history:
Les actions défensives les plus clutch de Jrue Holiday en Playoffs 🔒 pic.twitter.com/i3r0LovGUb
— STEPBACK (@StepBackfr) May 26, 2024
That play iced the game for Milwaukee who would go on to win Game Six at home and bring the city its first NBA Championship in 50 years.
On Saturday night, Holiday made a similar play that put Boston on step closer to reaching the Finals themselves.
Jrue Holiday’s Defense Saves Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals for the Boston Celtics
With seconds remaining in Game Three of the Eastern Conference Finals, Holiday knocked the ball away from Pacers’ guard Andrew Nembhard and ran down the court with a steal. Instead of an alley-oop this time, Holiday was fouled, and knocked down both of them to give the Celtics a three-point lead with less than two seconds to play:
Jrue holiday with the STEAL OF THE YEAR 🔥 pic.twitter.com/rIEoBMDN99
— NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) May 26, 2024
Holiday finished the game with 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, and a block.
His heroics at the end had many Bucks fans fondly remembering the 2021 NBA Finals run.
I love Dame and I’m glad we have him (and I’m thrilled the Bucks organization was willing to make big moves), but dang, I miss Jrue Holiday and the clutch defense he displayed tonight is just one elements of why I wish the Bucks had kept him. #NBAECF #CelticsPacers
— Landen Swain (@LSwainWrites) May 26, 2024
Jrue Holiday doing Jrue Holiday stuff on defense.
— Steve Czaban (@czabe) May 26, 2024
Jrue holiday is really good. Feels like the bucks finals again with his defense!
— Badgirlreesereese (@Mathuinn) May 26, 2024
Jrue Holiday with the steal in the clutch. Feel like I’ve seen that before
— Robin Adams (@theotherRobin19) May 26, 2024
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