In the anniversary episode of Podcast P, Paul George opened up the floor for fans to ask questions. During the episode, he spoke about who is the toughest player to score on in the NBA. It didn’t take him long to identify Celtics guard Jrue Holiday as that player, citing his own personal battles with the premier perimeter defender.
“Jrue got locks, he got locks, he’s strong as s—, he’s quick, and like he loves to play defense. That is the worst trait that you can go up against somebody that just loves to play defense, and like those are always the toughest match-ups for me offensively when the guys are like super shorter than me.”
Paul George’s honesty over his matchups with Holiday is refreshing. Per Statmuse, George has played against Holiday in 30 games and averages 17.9 points on 39.7% shooting. That’s lower than his career numbers of 20.7 points per game on 43.9% shooting.
Holiday, a skilled defender, is recognized for his agility on the perimeter and swift hands. He played a pivotal role in the Bucks’ 2021 Championship victory, delivering crucial defensive plays during the playoffs. The Celtics have profited from Holiday’s defensive prowess, particularly his adeptness in guarding both guards and forwards, a cornerstone of their success this season.
The Milwaukee Bucks have felt Holliday’s defensive impact since parting ways with him in the Damian Lillard trade. Without Holliday leading the team’s perimeter defense, the Bucks have not been as strong defensively. Although the defense has shown improvement under Coach Doc Rivers’ brief tenure, the team evidently misses Holliday’s defensive abilities.
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