Jrue Holiday assesses Celtics’ defense against Knicks’ Jalen Brunson

For essentially the most half, Boston Celtics stopper Jrue Holiday appreciated what he’d seen from his crew’s protection on Knicks star Jalen Brunson.

Coming into Sport 4 of their second-round sequence, Brunson led each groups with 24.3 factors and 6.3 assists per recreation, and he’d fueled a pair of come-from-behind Knicks victories.

However Brunson’s 38.1% field-goal share was about 10 factors decrease than his regular-season charge.

“I think we’ve done alright,” stated Vacation, the Celtics’ main defender on Brunson, forward of Sport 4 at Madison Sq. Backyard.

“I definitely think it’s a team effort. Everybody’s kind of had a chance to guard him here and there, and done a good job, I think. Sometimes in the first two games, in the fourth [quarter], he does what he does, but I think we’ve been taking care of it as good as possible.”

In Video games 1 by 3, Brunson shot 5-of-18 (27.8%) when guarded by Vacation, in line with the NBA’s head-to-head tracking.

Brunson shot 3-of-9 (33.3%) in opposition to Derrick White and went 6-of-18 (33.3%) in opposition to veteran middle Al Horford, who was ceaselessly tasked with slowing the Knicks level guard on switches.

Brunson was extra environment friendly in opposition to Payton Pritchard, in opposition to whom he made 5-of-9 (55.6%) area objectives.

“He’s gonna find opportunities to really impact the game throughout the entire game, but we just trust our individual defenders and our help behind them,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla stated of Brunson.

“I think Jrue’s done a great job on him. I think Derrick and Payton have done a good job. I think Al’s been good on him. So we just try to trust our individual defenders, trust the help behind, and when and if you need to make adjustments, you try to do that as quickly as possible.”

Brunson, the NBA’s Clutch Participant of the 12 months, got here up massive when it mattered most in Video games 1 and a pair of in Boston.

In Sport 1, Brunson scored 11 of his game-high 29 factors within the fourth quarter to assist the Knicks overcome a 20-point deficit and win 108-105 in additional time.

He was equally efficient down the stretch of Sport 2, scoring 9 of his 17 factors within the fourth quarter because the Knicks once more erased a 20-point deficit and gained 91-90.

Brunson additionally led the Knicks with 27 factors on 9-of-21 capturing of their 115-93 loss in Sport 3.

However Brunson shot 42.9% or decrease from the sector in all three video games.

“No hesitation,” Brunson stated earlier than Sport 4. “We’ve got to trust our process, trust our shot. We’ll live with the result. We’ve just got to control what we can control.”

Brunson scored 31.5 factors per recreation within the first spherical in opposition to the Detroit Pistons — a sequence wherein he averaged 9.0 free-throw makes an attempt per recreation. Within the common season, Brunson ranked fifth within the NBA with 6.9 free-throw makes an attempt per recreation.

The Celtics restricted him to 18 complete free-throw makes an attempt by the primary three video games of their sequence.

“Try not to foul him,” stated Vacation, a six-time NBA All-Defensive crew choice. “Know that he lives at the free-throw line and does a great job of drawing fouls. Try to keep him off the free-throw line as much as possible. And then show him multiple bodies.”

Brunson is hardly the one star whose capturing percentages have dipped throughout the playoffs, when the type of play is usually extra bodily.

The Celtics’ Jayson Tatum entered Monday capturing ​​39.5% this postseason, in comparison with 45.2% within the common season.

Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — the NBA’s main scorer — was capturing 43.6% this postseason after making 51.9% of his area objectives throughout the common season.

“I think that tends to be the case,” Knicks head coach Tom Thibodeau stated. “Any time you’re putting more than one onto the ball, that means other guys are going to be open. You’re weighing how much are you going to commit to that? And then that opens things up for other players.”

HOLIDAY’S HAMMY

Vacation’s hamstring is holding up simply effective.

That’s in line with the Celtics guard himself, who stated he “feels good” after a proper hamstring pressure stored him out of the ultimate three video games in Boston’s first-round sequence in opposition to the Orlando Magic.

“Feels good,” Vacation stated. “Feels healthy. Haven’t had any issues.”

Vacation averaged 32.7 minutes per recreation — a tick above his regular-season common of 30.6 — in Video games 1 by 3 in opposition to the Knicks and began all three.

Initially Revealed: Might 12, 2025 at 3:07 PM EDT