The Boston Celtics didn’t have it easy when they outlasted the Indiana Pacers in the most interesting postseason game they’ve been involved in this season. While they were booked as the heavy favorites to win the series, their underdog opponents didn’t make things easier for them.
Game 1 of the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals saw the two teams bring their best to the table, not allowing their opponents to hold a significant lead for extended periods. It even took a buzzer-beater from Jaylen Brown to force an OT thriller that saw the Celtics run away with the win.
While Brown and Jayson Tatum deserve a lot of the credit for their stellar performances, they wouldn’t have mounted the comeback if it weren’t for other players in the Celtics roster stepping up when needed.
Jrue Holiday was one of the players who made the most impact in the series opener. The seasoned point guard took plenty of the heat off the team’s star players. Brown even took the time to praise him for the work he did in Game 1.
Jaylen Brown credits Jrue Holiday’s impact on Boston Celtics’ Game 1 win
Holiday had a fantastic game for the Celtics to the point that Tyrese Haliburton made a great claim about his abilities after playing against him in Game 1.
The UCLA product had an impressive tally of 28 points on 10-for-16 shooting, seven rebounds, eight assists, and three steals. The fact that he managed all that while containing Haliburton is nothing short of impressive.
Brown gave him a lot of credit for the work he did in Game 1 and the rest of the postseason:
Jrue Holiday is having a solid postseason campaign with the C’s. He’s averaging 12.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.4 steals a game while also providing solid defensive cover. He will become a vital key for the Celtics’ championship team as the remaining contenders in this year’s playoffs all have great guards.
If he keeps this performance up, it won’t be weird for Jrue to get a big contract if he decides to move on from Boston in the summer.
