Jrue Holiday ready to make life easier for Tatum, Brown and help Celtics win a title

BOSTON -- Jrue Holiday usually sports a giant smile on his face. That was the case throughout the day on Wednesday, as Holiday participated in his first practice with the Celtics and introduced himself to the Boston media.

Holiday, however, needs no introduction. He's been a consistently solid point guard over his 14-year NBA career, which the Celtics (and their fans) know firsthand from his head-to-head matchups with Boston. We got our first taste of the Holiday experience in 2010, when Holiday's 76ers brought the Celtics to Game 7 in the East semis. We saw it the last three seasons while Holiday was making plays as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks.

The two-time All-Star and five-time All-Defensive teamer was the missing piece that the Bucks needed beside Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton to win a title. Holiday helped the Bucks win it all in 2021, and now he envisions doing for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown what he was able to do for Giannis and Middleton in Milwaukee. 

"Coming here is definitely my best chance at winning and being able to help the guys that have made moves and done great things in this league," Holiday said Wednesday. "I'm here to really just help step up their game and become champions.

"I want to make the game easier for them," he added. "I'm here to serve and do well next to every guy on the court."

The Celtics are absolutely thrilled to have Holiday, with Brad Stevens giving him googly eyes throughout Wednesday's introduction. Stevens said the Celtics will look to extend Holiday behind his current contract when they're eligible to do so.

And it's easy to understand why. Holiday is the ultimate glue guy, but one that can also do a lot of everything on the floor. He thrives as a facilitator and setting up his teammates, but he can also knock down his share of big shots. Defensively, he's a menace that doesn't back down from any challenge.

Now he's ready to do all of that for the Celtics after what he admitted was a whirlwind of a week. Last Wednesday, shortly after he said that he wanted to be on the Bucks for the rest of his career, Holiday was shipped to Portland for Damian Lillard. With the Blazers in a rebuild, it was clear that Holiday wasn't going to be long in Portland.

Suitors lined up for his services, and the Celtics ultimately won out with a trade package of Robert Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, and a pair of first-round picks. Minutes after the trade went through, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was already texting him plays on offense and defense that he'd have to learn. Players reached out to him as well, and everyone has welcomed him with open arms since he arrived in Boston on Monday.

Boston was always high on his wish list, and Holiday is happy that it all worked out this way in the end.

"I had hopes of landing here, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. You can get your heart broken that way. Once I got traded here, that's what I'm committed to," he said. "A team close to winning championships, that has banners up there and has one covered because of how rich this is. That's really important to me and it's the reason I play. Winning is the most important thing to me."

Family is also important to Holiday, and in some ways, donning Celtics green is going to disappoint many in the Holiday clan.

"Growing up in L.A. as a Laker fan, I know a lot of my family is probably hurt," he said with a giant smile.

Lakers fans aren't usually welcome around these parts. But Paul Pierce grew up a Lakers fan and brought the Celtics to a title, so why not another? And given how Holiday plays each and every night, Boston fans are going to love him.

"This is a blue collar town and they love people that work hard and put their heart into it. That's the type of person I am; every time I step on the court I give it my everything," he said.

Holiday also loves playing in front of Celtics fans, and can't wait to have them rooting for him and not against him.

"I love the aggression and the environment. I think they care more about hard work on defense and getting to loose balls than windmill dunks. And that's the type of guy I am. Ten toes to the ground and I'm gonna push as hard as I can. The fans are literally insane and I'm proud to be a part of that coming into this year," said Holiday.