The Boston Celtics made a huge move when they acquired Jrue Holiday.
Trading for Kristaps Porzingis gave them some versatility in the frontcourt and made them better on paper, but losing Marcus Smart’s gritty backcourt defense was a big blow.
They added one of the best defensive-minded guards in the game to fill that void and more importantly, it seems like Holiday is bringing the kind of championship-caliber mentality they were lacking.
As a matter of fact, his introductory press conference with the Celtics was quite similar to Kevin Garnett’s back in the day, talking about how joining the Celtics gives him the best chance to win a ring.
Deja Jrue pic.twitter.com/npFWIoKbrP
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) October 6, 2023
Holiday has championship experience and is a bonafide player in the league.
He’s never been the most vocal or outspoken guy in the game, but he’s a well-respected leader, and will provide another strong presence in the locker room for a team that has often lacked leadership and clear direction.
The Milwaukee Bucks obviously are also a force to reckon with now that they’ve added Damian Lillard to a team that was fresh off having the best record in the regular season and has been a perennial contender.
But some analysts still like the Celtics’ chances ahead of everybody else in the Eastern Conference.
And even despite the doubts about Joe Mazzulla’s leadership and ability to make adjustments, it’s definitely hard to choose any team above the Celtics in a seven-game series after the major additions they’ve made since the beginning of the offseason.
NEXT:
Joe Mazzulla Comments On Celtics’ Backup Center For This Season