Jrue Holiday has proven to be a world of difference for the Milwaukee Bucks
What a difference a year – and a new player – can make.
Last postseason, the Milwaukee Bucks fell victim to a surprising upset in the Eastern Conference semifinals at the hands of the Miami Heat, falling 4-1 even though they were the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Fast forward to 2021, and the Bucks are on the verge of not only sweeping aside the same Heat team that stunned them in 2020, but they're doing so in dominant fashion.
And it all has to do with one simple addition to their roster.
Acquired in a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans this past offseason, Holiday proved to be a worthy addition to the Bucks in the regular season, averaging 17.7 points and 6.1 assists while providing the stout play on the opposite end that has made him one of the NBA's most respected defenders.
But where Holiday has truly paid dividends for the Bucks is in their first-round matchup, where he has averaged 16.7 points and 10 assists, helping guide the Bucks to a 3-0 series lead.
Those numbers against the Heat are a stark contrast to what Eric Bledsoe provided in their semifinal matchup last season, when he averaged just 11.8 PPG while shooting 32% from the field.
In both 2019 and 2020, the Bucks secured the best record in the regular season only to suffer disappointing exits from the postseason.
But the new-look Bucks now have a different feel to them thanks to Holiday, according to Nick Wright. He explained the difference Holiday is making for the Bucks on "First Things First."
"When Jrue Holiday has been off of the court, the Bucks are -23. When he has been on the court they are +88," Wright said. "Jrue Holiday has changed this team."
Holiday has arguably done more than any other Milwaukee player to break the Heat on both ends of the floor. And what he brings to the Bucks has not gone unnoticed by his teammates, even if it might have by the average fan.
In a story written by Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Holiday's teammate P.J. Tucker had high praise for Holiday, admitting he wasn't quite aware of just how good the veteran point guard was until playing with him every day.
"Jrue is the most underrated player in the league, by far," Tucker said. "People don’t understand how good he is. I didn’t understand how good he was until I played with him. He gets it. And he is the quietest dog you’ve ever played with in your life. He doesn’t say anything, but you know he’s there."
Holiday's presence has been such a positive for the Bucks this season that they gave him a four-year contract extension worth at least $134 million in early April.
"I don’t think you can kind of appreciate the strength and physicality he brings to both ends of the court until you get to see it night in and night out," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said at the time. "What he does defensively, takes on different matchups, different-sized guys, you hear about it and everybody talks about it and everything, so you have this expectation, but once you’re around it, it’s even more impressive."
The Bucks have already seen a great return on that investment, and if Holiday can continue this level of play, they might finally be able to get over the hump in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
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