Pelica Debrief
Fansided

He’s back! Jrue Holiday’s 3 biggest moments for the New Orleans Pelicans

By Tim Burke

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 28: Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans could be on the move come draft night. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA - DECEMBER 28: Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans could be on the move come draft night. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 3
Next
New Orleans Pelicans, Jrue Holiday, LeBron James
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 25: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers, Jrue Holiday #11 of the New Orleans Pelicans: (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

New Orleans Pelicans: Jrue Holiday returns to New Orleans

Number Two – Back to Back All-Defense

Holiday staked his claim to best defensive guard in the NBA with this two-year stretch. Holiday was named to back-to-back All-Defense teams in 2017-18 (1st team) and 2018-19 (2nd team). In that stretch, only one other player landed a place in both seasons, Joel Embiid, and he was a two-time 2nd teamer.

Well known in league circles as a standout defender Jrue routinely put the clamps on some of the league’s premier scorers. It was around this time that the “most underrated” tag really started sticking to Holiday and he’s had a hard time shaking that notion ever since (when does someone become properly rated?).

Listed at 6-3, 205lb, Holiday rarely had the size advantage against anyone he played against. That didn’t matter Jrue didn’t let that get in the way. In his back to back All-Defense seasons, Holiday recorded 232 steals and 118 blocks in 148 games.

When listening to players around the league talk about who they think is the best defender in the game, Holiday’s name comes up time and time again. His defensive stats may not be what they were during this two-year run but he can summon that effort when necessary.

But his best moment was a performance in a single game.

Home/Pelicans News