Celtics’ Jrue Holiday Up To Challenge Of Defending Mavericks Duo

It’s probably been overblown to a certain extent, but there’s no denying the Boston Celtics have avoided elite players throughout their postseason run.

Jimmy Butler was absent for the Miami Heat in the first round. Donovan Mitchell missed two games for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round. Tyrese Haliburton missed two for the Indiana Pacers in the conference finals.

Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving are healthy as can be entering the NBA Finals, however.

Doncic and Irving, who have been labeled by some as the greatest offensive duo ever throughout the Dallas Mavericks’ postseason run, are on a tear. They present a unique challenge to the Celtics, but one Jrue Holiday believes he’s up for.

“It’s hard,” Holiday said Friday, per NBA-provided video. “It’s hard, but it’s fun. It’s two of the best scorers in the league, and they’ve been doing it for all of their careers. You’ve seen what they’ve been doing in the playoffs. They’re in a really good groove, not just scoring but playmaking, making their team better in crucial moments, closeout games, whatever it is.”

Doncic and Irving have averaged 51.6 points and 14.0 assists this postseason, with their individual usage rates actually dropping from the regular season. Dallas’ two stars picked a good time to play their best ball of the season.

The Celtics are perhaps suited for the challenge more than any other team in the NBA, with two All-Defensive team members slated to be the primary defenders in this series — Holiday and Derrick White.

Boston will see plenty of factors play into its ultimate success in the series, but perhaps none will be more important than the individual matchups between the two backcourts.