Jrue Holiday Knew the Celtics Wouldn't Fold - Even Without Tatum
BOSTON - The Boston Celtics have been one of the NBA’s biggest surprises this season - but not to Jrue Holiday.
While many around the league wrote the Celtics off before the season even tipped off, Holiday wasn’t buying the pessimism. The veteran guard, now with the Portland Trail Blazers, knows Boston too well.
He spent a championship season with the Celtics in 2024 and understands the DNA of that locker room. So when he saw the Celtics being counted out - especially in the wake of Jayson Tatum’s extended absence - he had a feeling they’d respond in a big way.
“I knew that they’d do well, knowing the type of determination this coaching staff and organization has,” Holiday said Monday night from the visiting locker room at TD Garden, just before facing his former team for the second time this season.
Plenty of outsiders expected the Celtics to stumble without their superstar forward. Some even went so far as to suggest they might punt on the season altogether. But those takes ignored one major factor: Jaylen Brown.
Holiday certainly didn’t forget.
“I figured that they’d be good,” he said. “And then obviously, knowing Jaylen, I feel like he takes a lot of things personally. So he doesn’t accept a lot, especially when it comes to being bad.”
That chip on Brown’s shoulder? It’s turned into fuel.
The reigning Finals MVP is putting together one of the best seasons of his career - nearly 30 points per game - and earned his first-ever start in the All-Star Game after a decade in the league. His two-way intensity has set the tone for a Celtics team that’s not just surviving without Tatum - they’re thriving.
But as Holiday pointed out, this isn’t just about one player. It’s the whole organization. From head coach Joe Mazzulla to Payton Pritchard and the rest of the rotation, Boston has made it clear they’re not interested in listening to outside noise.
“I think people counted them out as a team,” Holiday said. “Not just Jaylen. I know Payton, Joe, the whole coaching staff - when people say they can’t do something, they want to prove them wrong.”
So far, they’ve done exactly that. The Celtics sit at 28-17, good for second place in the Eastern Conference, and they’ve done it with grit, depth, and a clear sense of identity. Even with Tatum sidelined, Boston has kept its foot on the gas.
Meanwhile, Holiday’s Trail Blazers have had a turbulent season of their own. Despite the loss of head coach Chauncey Billups in October due to an ongoing illegal gambling investigation, Portland has battled to a 23-23 record - not bad for a team many expected to be buried in the West standings.
Monday night marked Holiday’s first game back in Boston since being traded last summer. And while the business side of the league moved him out of town, he still holds a deep appreciation for his time in green.
When asked what stood out most about his stint in Boston, Holiday didn’t hesitate.
“The people, the fans, the crowd, how they embrace you and kind of make you part of their own team,” he said.
That bond between city and player doesn’t fade quickly - especially for someone who helped deliver a title. And as Holiday returned to the Garden, it was clear: the respect still runs both ways.