Did Damian Lillard further prove Jrue Holiday’s value to Pelicans?

Damian Lillard’s first-round dominance against the Thunder solidified his elite status in the NBA. It also bolstered Jrue Holiday’s case, who stuffed Lillard in last year’s playoff series between the Portland Trail Blazers and New Orleans Pelicans.

It might be strange to argue that one player’s performance can boost the status of another’s that isn’t even playing basketball at the moment, but that’s exactly what happened Tuesday night when Damian Lillard capped off an insane opening playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Lillard’s performance this year is vastly different than when he had to go head-to-head with New Orleans Pelicans’ guard Jrue Holiday a season ago, which points to just how good Jrue truly is.

The shot heard round the world

This is Damian Lillard’s world and we’re all just living in it, as illustrated by the 50 points he dropped Tuesday night, which in the process eliminated bitter rival Russell Westbrook and the OKC Thunder. The earth stood still as Lillard launched a step-back three from 35+ feet with the game tied in the dying moments of regulation. It seemed like the ball was never going to land, and when it finally did, jubilation and pandemonium struck the Moda Center in Portland.

So how do any of Lillard’s late-game heroics pertain to our beloved Jrue Holiday? Simple: The outcome of Portland’s first-round series this season was vastly different than what occurred the prior season against the New Orleans Pelicans.

A tale of two playoff series

Jrue Holiday assumed the majority of responsibility in guarding Lillard just a year ago when the two teams met in the first round of the playoffs. Fighting through screens, playing him closely as to not let him get looks from the perimeter while also disallowing him dribble-drive penetration to the hoop, Holiday’s lockdown defense on Lillard had a significant effect on the series.

In the four games played, Lillard averaged: 18.5 points, 4.8 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 5.3 turnovers on a sub-par 35% from the field. Now, if you compare those numbers to what transpired this postseason, it’s quite a drastic turnaround. Against the Thunder this year in the first round—which went five games—Lillard averaged 33.0 points, 6.0 assists, 4.4 rebounds, 5.2 threes a game, on a much more efficient 45% from the field.

A part of the reasoning behind the turnaround in Lillard’s game can be attributed to him knocking down shots he was missing against the Pelicans a year ago. He was hitting absurdly deep threes all series against OKC and was making them at an efficient clip.

But let’s not discredit the marvelous job Holiday did on Lillard. He made sure nothing was simple for the four-time all-star. And as great as Holiday was defensively, that was not the only portion of the game Holiday excelled at against Portland. To compliment his stifling defense, Holiday averaged: 27.8 points, 6.5 assists, 4.0 assists on 56% from the field during those four games, including an epic 41 point performance in game 4, which was ultimately the closeout game for the Pelicans.

Jrue Holiday remains underrated in the basketball world. And as unfortunate or unfair as that may sound, a part of that is credited to the lack of playoff teams he’s been a part of. The New Orleans Pelicans are rarely televised on a national scale, so Holiday does not get the same exposure other stars in the league get. How do you view Jrue Holiday? In the same “underrated” light as others? Let us know in the comments!