In the Boston Celtics’ preseason game against the New York Knicks on Tuesday night, rookies Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday played together. The more significant narrative was the enduring friendship that was formed between Porzingis, Holiday, and their new Celtics teammates, even though the Celtics prevailed 123-110 in the game.
One perhaps overlooked area where Holiday and Porzingis will impact the Celtics is on the defensive end of the floor.
One defensive possession, as highlighted by Steve Jones Jr., showcased Holiday and Porzingis working together along with the rest of the Celtics on the floor to switch on a series of screens and different actions runs by the Knicks, all of which resulted in a low-percentage three-point attempt that Porzingis heavily contested.
Although Kristaps Porzingis is not necessarily known primarily as an elite defender, he does rank among the better shot blockers in the NBA, primarily due to his enormous stature and relative mobility considering his size.
Jrue Holiday, on the other hand, has long been considered one of the elite on-ball defenders in the NBA, locking down several opposing guards in various playoff series throughout his career.
Together, the two figure to only add to a Celtics rotation that already features a cast of almost exclusively positive defenders. This elite defensive unit, combined with Boston’s obvious offensive talent, is why many consider the Celtics to still be the favorites in the Eastern Conference despite the Milwaukee Bucks’ acquisition of Damian Lillard.
