Though Jrue Holiday seems to fit well with the Boston Celtics, his absence on the Milwaukee Bucks’ roster has been felt by opponents. Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton recently appeared on JJ Redick’s The Old Man and The Three podcast and spoke about his views on playing against a new Bucks core, starring league royalties Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
Advertisement
Haliburton has faced the Bucks 10 times in his career and has seen their defensive prowess evolve from having Jrue Holiday on the roster to this new core around the Bucks’ current superstars. However, it seems like Haliburton was quite impressed with the defensive capabilities of Holiday, who would not fear guarding the best player on the opposing side, especially if that player is a guard like Haliburton.
However, compared to the previous few seasons, the Bucks now seem to have a significant difference in showing up defensively without Jrue. They have displayed gaps and potholes in their defense, especially during their recent 124-126 loss against Indiana. They will surely need to figure out Holiday’s replacement quickly if they are to compete for the title this season, no matter how much fire power they have on offense.
Relaying his analysis of the Bucks’ recent performances, Haliburton said, “I think missing Jrue hurts them. And so, I’m obviously looking forward playing them in full strength. But, it is different when you play against them.”
“There’s a big gap there and that’s hard for any team to make up,” the 23-year-old added. In his detailed analysis, Haliburton called Holiday the most elite defensive player in the NBA. Even though he pointed out Antetokounmpo and Middleton’s defensive capabilities, the 2023 All-Star underlined that Holiday’s departure has left a gap in Milwaukee’s defense that can be exploited by other teams.
In the 126-124 win for Indiana, the Pacers clearly exploited the opportunity to score 8-16 from threes and rack up 11 assists in the first quarter itself. The Bucks were seen scraping for defensive rebounds, which wasn’t the case earlier with Jrue Holiday on the roster.
The Milwaukee Bucks are struggling to find a defensive headway in the league
Though the Bucks hold a 5-3 record in the league currently, they aren’t playing the same way that was expected of them during the off-season. After the Damian Lillard trade, Milwaukee topped the odds for emerging victorious in the Eastern Conference. However, from their recent performances, the Bucks seem to need more time to figure themselves out defensively.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard understand that the team isn’t showing up to the best of their potential. In a recent press conference, Giannis and Dame highlighted that the squad needs to overcome these early struggles and emerge as a better version of themselves. And for that, Giannis highlights how the Bucks need to trust their game plan and figure out what works the best for the team.
During Giannis’ absence in the game against the Chicago Bulls, Damian Lillard proved his leadership capabilities by leading the Bucks to a win. Perhaps, as the two superstars pointed out, the Bucks need a clearer vision to cooperate and work on their defensive ends. If the team comes together to resolve the gap left by Jrue Holiday, Milwaukee could regain their past form of dominating the Eastern Conference in the league.
