Boston Celtics point guard Jrue Holiday has gotten rave reviews from pretty much everyone -- ownership, president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, his teammates -- since coming to the team via trade earlier this week.
Holiday took part in his first practice with the Celtics on Wednesday, and it was described as one of the most intense training camp sessions in a long time.
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Celtics legend Paul Pierce has a very high opinion of Holiday, too, and he also believes the veteran guard was the missing piece in Boston's quest for an 18th NBA championship.
"I think Jrue is a natural leader. A natural glue guy," Pierce told reporters Thursday at the Auerbach Center. "He's a champion. He's respected around the league and he'll be respected here. It's up to the guys around here to welcome him with open arms. Make him feel comfortable not only as a player, but his family, too. I think that's always important when you bring in new guys, to establish that comfortability amongst his teammates. As far as fit, I feel like he was the missing piece."
Holiday brings an elite two-way skill set to the Celtics.
He is one of the top defenders in the league, capable of guarding the opposing team's best perimeter player, which eases the burden on Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the defensive end of the floor. Holiday is a capable offensive player as well. He scored 19.3 points per game and shot 38.4 percent from 3-point range for the Milwaukee Bucks last season.
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He played a major role on the Bucks' championship team during the 2020-21 campaign. The Bucks acquired Holiday just before that season in a bold trade, and he proved to be the missing piece for a Milwaukee franchise that had enjoyed some playoff success before his arrival but wasn't able to get over the hump.
The Celtics, who have made the Eastern Conference Finals five times since 2017 but haven't won a title since 2008, are hoping Holiday has a similar impact in Boston.