Kendrick Perkins Thinks Celtics Rival ‘Losing Sleep’ Watching Key Player In NBA Finals

The Milwaukee Bucks willingly traded Jrue Holiday this past offseason.

That proved to be a very bad decision by the Bucks.

Milwaukee shipped Holiday to the Portland Trail Blazers to acquire star guard Damian Lillard. But the Trail Blazers turned around and sent Holiday to Milwaukee’s biggest threat in the Eastern Conference in the Boston Celtics for Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams and two first-round picks.

The Bucks, who were dealt injuries to both Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo in playoffs, didn’t make it out of the first round and have had to watch Holiday make impact play after impact play in the NBA Finals for the Celtics.

“Giannis and the Milwaukee Bucks, they’re losing sleep right now,” former Celtics center and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins said on “Get Up” on Monday. “They gave up on Jrue Holiday. They felt like they got to get better and all of a sudden he’s with the Celtics making it happen.”

Perkins even used the 33-year-old Holiday to throw more shade at Dallas Mavericks star Kyrie Irving. Holiday has stepped up on the elevated stage and scored a team-high 26 points in a 105-98 Game 2 win Sunday night. Holiday also has yet to commit a turnover in the series.

Irving is still trying to find his game. He is shooting 13-for-37 (35.1%) in the series and missed all eight 3-point attempts he’s taken through two games.

“Here’s the thing: Jrue Holiday has really outplayed Kyrie in Game 1 and Game 2,” Perkins said. “… (Game 2) was a prime example of what he brings to the table when you talk about the paint points. We’re talking about a Celtics team that lives and dies by the three, but Jrue Holiday set the tone by going to the paint. … Jrue Holiday, he got Kyrie Irving in a body bag right now.”