Figured he deserves his own outside the trade thread (very open to more clever titles). Very excited to see him on the floor tomorrow. Coaches anonymously quoted in this Athletic article just can't say enough about his defense:
But to hear at least some NBA coaches and assistant coaches tell it, the Lillard trade may not be the deal that most alters the league’s balance of power. A trade that occurred several days later and involved Jrue Holiday, one of the players Lillard originally was traded for, could end up being the move that makes the biggest impact on the NBA postseason.
Holiday’s defense is that good, coacheaes said. And the Boston Celtics, the team that acquired Holiday on Oct. 1 from the Trail Blazers, elevated their title hopes by bringing him into their fold.
“I’m very interested in how he’s going to defend this year because of the trade,” one Eastern Conference assistant coach told The Athletic. “I think Boston’s going to enhance that, and I think if they meet Milwaukee in a (playoff) series, he’s the piece that can stop Damian Lillard.”
I think he’s one of the best on-ball pick-and-roll defenders,” an Eastern Conference assistant coach told The Athletic before Milwaukee traded Holiday to Boston. “From a coach’s perspective, I view it also as when you’re approaching a team and preparing for a team, who do you have to game plan for? And Jrue is one of those guys, with his ability to guard the ball, to pressure the ball and disrupt an offense.
He gets 3rd in their DPOY poll and is named a First Team guard by all 12 coaches in their poll. Smart makes the 2nd team and White gets a few 2nd team votes.
https://theathletic.com/4991115/2023/10/24/nba-best-defenders-players-anonymous-coaches-poll/
But to hear at least some NBA coaches and assistant coaches tell it, the Lillard trade may not be the deal that most alters the league’s balance of power. A trade that occurred several days later and involved Jrue Holiday, one of the players Lillard originally was traded for, could end up being the move that makes the biggest impact on the NBA postseason.
Holiday’s defense is that good, coacheaes said. And the Boston Celtics, the team that acquired Holiday on Oct. 1 from the Trail Blazers, elevated their title hopes by bringing him into their fold.
“I’m very interested in how he’s going to defend this year because of the trade,” one Eastern Conference assistant coach told The Athletic. “I think Boston’s going to enhance that, and I think if they meet Milwaukee in a (playoff) series, he’s the piece that can stop Damian Lillard.”
I think he’s one of the best on-ball pick-and-roll defenders,” an Eastern Conference assistant coach told The Athletic before Milwaukee traded Holiday to Boston. “From a coach’s perspective, I view it also as when you’re approaching a team and preparing for a team, who do you have to game plan for? And Jrue is one of those guys, with his ability to guard the ball, to pressure the ball and disrupt an offense.
He gets 3rd in their DPOY poll and is named a First Team guard by all 12 coaches in their poll. Smart makes the 2nd team and White gets a few 2nd team votes.
https://theathletic.com/4991115/2023/10/24/nba-best-defenders-players-anonymous-coaches-poll/
