Bucks Zone

“I feel like we kind of frustrated him!" - Jrue Holiday on stopping Zion Williamson

Jrue proved once again why he is one of the best defenders in the entire NBA.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

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Milwaukee BucksNew Orleans Pelicans

The Milwaukee Bucks managed to grab a valuable 128-119 win last night in New Orleans versus the Pelicans and start of their road trip on a high note. The matchup between Giannis Antetokounmpo and Zion Williamson was viewed as the key, but one guy stepped up from the shadows and won this game, and that was Jrue Holiday.

Too small?

Everybody expected Giannis to take on the challenge of stopping Zion, but Mike Budenholzer surprised everybody and decided to go with a different option, having Jrue guard the Pelicans star for the majority of the game.

Despite the sheer size and weight difference, Holiday showed once again why so many people consider him to be the best defender in the NBA. The point guard held his own, frustrated Zion, and made him work hard for every bucket, with Giannis and Brook Lopez watching his back and helping out.

That was the perfect strategy, as Zion had a bad game, scoring only 18 points on 7-16 from the floor, which is highly ineffective for his standards. After the game, Jrue spoke about guarding his former teammate:

“We know he such a big part of their offense that if he’s not scoring, we have a good chance," Holiday said. “I feel like we kind of frustrated him.”

Coach Bud also spoke about Jrue's defensive effort and praised the guard:

“Jrue, in a kind of subtle, understated way is very, very strong and I think he loved the challenge, beating him to a spot, having the strength to kind of take a hit, pressuring him a little bit,” Budenholzer said. “There’s probably only a handful of guards, if even that many, like Jrue that could maybe pick him up higher, pick him up earlier, do some different things to him.”

Two-way star

But Jrue wasn't just doing damage on the defensive side of the floor, as he also pitched in 18 points and 11 assists, including a dagger three-pointer when the game was being decided.

Jrue obviously felt comfortable in his former home, as he decided to take charge and lead his team to victory.

“I'm guessing I’ve done it quite a bit here,” Holiday continued. "So, just coming off that screen and letting it fly.”

Giannis and Brook might be the first names you notice in the box score due to their impressive scoring performances, but Jrue's all-around impact on this game made him the secret MVP for the Bucks last night.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.