Boston Celtics offseason splash hasn't seamlessly fit into offense: Analyst
Celtics Wire's Justin Quinn believes the Boston Celtics' major backcourt splash this past offseason, Jrue Holiday, hasn't been a seamless fit in Joe Mazzulla's offense so far during the 2023-24 regular season.
"How well is Jrue Holiday fitting into the Boston Celtics this season? The former Milwaukee Bucks floor general have not exactly been the most seamless of fits on the offensive end of the court, but does that matter on a ball club with so many others star players capable of mourning in points when their name is called?" Quinn asked. He'd later clarify that Holiday has been a force defensively.
"On the other end of the court, Holiday’s defense has been nothing short of masterful, with the UCLA alum taking on a similar role as former Boston big man Robert Williams III as a roaming disruptor creating some serious havoc among opposing offenses for Boston this season," Quinn wrote.
Jrue Holiday hasn't been a seamless offensive fit for Boston Celtics, but he's been a solid one
Seamless would imply that Holiday hasn't had rough shooting nights, and that hasn't been the case. Boston's last two losses, against the Milwaukee Bucks and Oklahoma City Thunder, saw Holiday go 2/9 and 2/8 from the field, respectively. In fact, every Celtics loss saw Holiday shoot under 50% from the field.
One can argue that does suggest a great fit. On night's everything is working with Holiday, things aren't working with the Celtics either. Shooting 40% from the 3-point line is also a great trait to possess in a Mazzulla-coached offense.
But it's fair to say that Holiday playing like a big man undeniably suggests that there's no true point guard on Boston's roster, which might have made the team's star-studded lineup come together even more than they have.
This writer would take the chance of riding with Holiday and the current group, though, because at the halfway point in the season, no team looks better equipped to win it all when the Cs are firing on all cylinders.