Celtics guard Jrue Holiday flirted with triple-double territory during Friday night's NBA In-Season Tournament victory over the Nets, and on the second of a back-to-back, the 33-year-old could notch a new career milestone.
Before hosting the Raptors at TD Garden on Saturday night, Holiday entered the contest just 17 points short of 15,000 total for his career. It's not a reach by any stretch to say he could reach it, despite what Holiday's 13.4 point-per-game average would suggest. The defense-first guard has only surpassed the 17-point mark twice in eight games played with Boston, however, Holiday's track record when facing Toronto is fairly favorable.
How favorable? Well, in 28 career games against the Raptors, Holiday has averaged 18 points, including having notched a 37-point performance on Jan. 17 with the Bucks. Close, but still favorable, especially when also considering the Raptors have allowed opponents to score 100-plus points in four consecutive instances -- including once against the 3-3 Spurs.
The oddsmakers also provide a wager-friendly opportunity for those in favor of Holiday joining the 15k club before the C's wrap up their homestand.
Holiday's line for points total was set at 13.5 with -108 odds to the Over, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. But ... the odds for Holiday scoring 20 or more points, which obviously would eclipse the 15k mark, was set at +420, giving bettors a chance at a potentially nice and easy payday.
Early on, there's an obvious challenge factor in place for Holiday to play alongside a star-studded lineup and share the floor with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis. But in that transition of settling in, Holiday isn't worried, instead embracing the change of scenery.
That's also included identifying the hot hand, which on any given night, could be any of the five starters in head coach Joe Mazzulla's lineup.
"It's just basketball. I think when you've played long enough you know who the hot hand is," Holiday told reporters postgame Friday night, per CLNS Media video. "... I feel like doing that kind of makes the game easy for us."
Boston will also seek a second straight trip to the win column.
