Unlocking Jrue Holiday’s Defensive Dominance: How the Celtics Guard is Raising Hell on the Court

BOSTON — Jrue Holiday’s position is a bit of an enigma. One quarter, he functions as a combo guard, and the next, he transforms into a big man.

The Celtics appreciate his versatility and ability to excel on both ends of the floor. However, in his recent return from an ankle sprain, Joe Mazzulla had a new role in mind for him: free safety.

“Tonight it was Jrue’s turn to, we didn’t start him on (Nikola) Vučević, we didn’t start him on (DeMar) DeRozan. We kind of put him on another player to where he could be a free safety and go make plays and raise hell in our shift activity,” Joe Mazzulla explained. “He kind of tonight was the catalyst towards our weak-side defense because of his activity and his ability to not have to worry about an All-Star but be able to just kind of roam and play free safety. So it just adds a layer to our defense, but it starts with the buy-in from our team.”

The intricacies of Holiday’s gameplay raise some questions. How does it look when Holiday raises hell in their shift activity? The Celtics’ defensive strategies adapt based on how Holiday is utilized on any given night.

They have been employing drop coverage more frequently with Kristaps Porziņģis at the five, requiring everyone to contribute to the defensive effort. The team uses “14” for drop coverage and “15” for switch coverage, indicating the designated coverage for the players aside from the center.

Against Chicago, the Celtics opted to maintain drop coverage due to the presence of elite midrange creator DeRozan and high-post scorer Vučević. However, the challenge with drop coverage is that DeRozan’s agility can make it difficult for his defender, Derrick White, to keep up while chasing over a screen. Early in the game, Holiday’s assertiveness sent a clear message to DeRozan that he won’t simply be allowed to move freely.

In Holiday’s presence, the Celtics have showcased elements of a defensive tactic called “Next,” a strategy they have dabbled with in the past and are now embracing more wholeheartedly. This entails a guard chasing the ballhandler over a screen while another defender sinks off to “gap” the ballhandler and force a pass.

Holiday’s interpretation of “nexting” goes beyond the usual approach. His communication with White to switch onto DeRozan demonstrates a high level of defensive adaptability and alertness.

Moreover, Holiday’s ability to gauge the situation and create pressure on the ball handler is impressive. His backside help and instinctual decision-making have been pivotal in disrupting the opponents’ gameplay.

Watching Holiday in action is an educational experience for his teammates. Jaylen Brown acknowledged, “Any time Jrue is on the floor, making those reads, I’ve definitely learned a lot. I’m looking forward to our growth as a team, but Jrue’s versatility has been key. Just his energy level, his presence on the defensive end, I think has also helped me be a better defender this year because I think I’ve been doing a lot better job in that area.”

While Holiday’s impact on the Celtics’ defense is evident, there is still room for improvement in their teamwork and understanding of his style of play. Miscommunications and late rotations indicate the need for better synergy, especially for complex zone switches.

Despite being distinct from Marcus Smart, another versatile free safety, Holiday’s contributions are poised to maintain the Celtics’ defense at an elite level, provided they remain connected as a team.

White expressed his appreciation for Holiday’s impact, emphasizing, “Any time you add Jrue back into the lineup, it’s going to help your defense. He just does so many things out there that impact winning. It’s nice to have him back. I think the last couple of games for sure we’ve locked back into that mindset and got back to the team we wanted to be.”

(Photo: Petre Thomas / USA Today)