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Everyone wants to be a defending champion, but life’s not always easy in that role with the proverbial target on your back every night.
That’s why Jrue Holiday and the Boston Celtics are in “predator” mode instead of sitting back and waiting for the opponents’ best shot.
“It hasn’t really changed my mindset,” Holiday told Bleacher Report when discussing defending the crown. “We’ve always had the focus of being the predator. I think we were like that last year, and we have that same mindset this year.
“Knowing the type of talent we have, especially when we play together and do what we’re supposed to do, we feel like we have the best chance at winning. And having that mindset is a lot better than seeing it as people are coming after us. No, we’re going after you guys. We’re showing you why we are the champs in the first place.”
That type of approach is why the NBA revolves around the Celtics at this point.
All they did last season was go 64-18 before turning in one of the most dominant playoff performances in recent history by never losing more than one game in a single series, sweeping the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals and handling the Dallas Mavericks in five games in the NBA Finals.
And anything less than another championship in 2024-25 would be a disappointment after Boston brought back the entire core of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Holiday, Derrick White, Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis (who is yet to play this season as he recovers from offseason surgery).
Yet only Holiday, who was a member of the 2020-21 champion Milwaukee Bucks, previously won a title from that core.
Milwaukee was in a similar situation the following season when it brought back Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Holiday, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez with a championship-or-bust mentality. While that team ironically lost to the Celtics in the second round, Holiday can use his familiarity with being in repeat mode to be even more of a veteran leader this time around in Boston.
“We’ve just talked about it maybe a little bit more and what it’s going to take and how it’s going to go,” he said. “You never know how the journey goes, but we just want to enjoy it and be able to do it together. That’s one of the biggest things, knowing we can push through any type of adversity together. That makes not only this game fun, but it makes life fun to be able to do this with other people.”
Holiday is looking to extend his streak of winning with another championship after also taking home the gold medal as part of the United States men’s basketball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. It was the second gold of his career, as he was also part of the American squad that prevailed in the 2020 Tokyo Games.
That success was anything but surprising, as he was already familiar with the Olympics setting even before he arrived at his first Games. After all, his wife, Lauren Holiday, is a legendary athlete in her own right who won a World Cup and two Olympic gold medals with the United States Women’s National Team.
“My wife is a two-time Olympian, so I was there for the Olympics in 2012 and to be able to experience that as a fan was amazing,” he said. “Being able to support her and walk around and be in that atmosphere to see what it’s like and what it takes. To have done it twice now alongside my wife is something that is amazing.”
Both Holidays are now two-time Olympic champions after Jrue’s latest triumph, and he hopes playing alongside the likes of LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards and others will help him thrive even more in his role with the Celtics.
“I think that prepared me for the season because sometimes when you get back to your team you have more of a role or whatever it may be,” Holiday said. “But playing with the Olympic team and playing with the best players in the world, knowing that whatever it takes to win is most important. That helps me bring out my best with this team as well.
“It’s not just about me, it’s about the team and what the team needs. As much as I’ve always tried to do that, I feel like experiencing that playing with guys who are prominent players in this league and Hall of Famers who sacrifice for what’s best for the team and the person next to you. Taking that to my team will give us an even better chance at winning.”
His fellow Olympian, Tatum, continuing to play at an incredible level will also give Boston a better chance at winning.
Last season’s championship was surely a validating moment for Tatum as one of the league’s best players with a resume that includes four All-NBA selections, five All-Star Game nods, an Eastern Conference Finals MVP and deep playoff runs almost every season of his career since he was the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.
The one major thing left to do is win an MVP after finishing in the top six in voting in each of the last three seasons, and he is off to an excellent start while averaging 29.7 points, 7.9 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.4 steals per game.
He also moved Boston to 11-3 with a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer in Saturday’s overtime victory over the Toronto Raptors.
“Last year I thought he had a great case,” Holiday said of Tatum’s potential MVP push. “He’s top five in the league, he carried the best team in the NBA to the best record in the NBA with the best offensive efficiency through the regular season into the postseason and won a championship. So I thought last year should have been his year. And this year, he’s just starting off the same.
“Coming off a championship and a gold medal and leading us to a place where we want to do it again is something that’s hard for anyone. But to be the best player on the team and to lead and have all the pressure on you of whether we win or lose, he’s our guy. I think MVP, he definitely has a great chance this season, and I hope he gets it.”
Tatum and the rest of the Celtics aren’t Holiday’s only teammates, as he also partnered with Zenni Optical to launch an exclusive eyewear collection that features more than 90 different designs.
The Jrue Holiday x Zenni Collection was designed with the guard’s personal style and fashion in mind and includes a combination of options for everyday prescription glasses, sunglasses for the outdoors and statement eyewear for making an impression.
“It’s been great,” Holiday said of the partnership. “We’ve collabed on a lot of different frames. Just different looks. Some are sleek, some are athletic, some are casual, some are fancy. But they’re all very cool frames for different types of situations. I know for me, it’s a confidence booster walking into games and walking on the runway and being able to show off my style.
“They’re great in the community, which is one of the things that was really big for me. I wanted to be able to give back, and these are very affordable glasses and at the same time very durable and well-built. With my style, I like to switch it up sometimes. I’ll try to be cool, or there’s times when I come in with sweatsuits on and you can wear something super chill with that. I think being able to walk into a game or walk into a function or any type of situation and feel confident in yourself is huge. Zenni has helped me elevate my game and elevate my style to show the world a little bit more of myself than just on the court.”
He should have the chance to show off the glasses during another deep playoff run this season as a key part of a loaded Celtics team.
The two-time champion, two-time gold medalist, two-time All-Star and six-time All-Defensive selection who is widely considered one of the best defensive guards of his generation doesn’t have much left to prove in his career, which means only one thing can make the rest of this season a success after the team’s quick start.
“Winning a championship,” Holiday said. “Ever since I got to Boston, that’s all it’s been about. This year is about winning another ring and getting some more hardware. Which is the goal for everyone. Yeah, you have individual accolades and I feel like I want to do the best I can individually so the team is the best it can be. Being an All-Star and stuff like that is really cool, but I’ll take championships over that any day.”