The Boston Celtics have been without starting guard Jrue Holiday for the past three games as he recovers from a sprained right shoulder. This late in the season, any injury to a core player is worrying. The timing is inconvenient. However, with Holiday, there’s even more concern, as Holiday “said Friday that his absence is about more than simply being cautious” (per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe).
Jrue Holiday Suffers Concerning ‘Dead Arm’ Injury
Holiday says he “suffered when he was hit on a screen” during Boston’s matchup against the Washington Wizards on Sunday, and is “experiencing ‘dead arm’.”
“I’m feeling something, for sure,” Holiday says, while confirming that he’s receiving treatment for the injury. Despite not having a timeline for his return, there doesn’t seem to be much concern about whether or when Holiday will return. However, it sounds as if the 15-year veteran is aiming to come back before the postseason.
“I still want to play,” Holiday says. “That’s part of the reason I play basketball. But it’s also keeping rhythm. Sometimes when you’re out for a long time you break rhythm, but I feel like I’ve been in a good groove and I want to continue to play.”
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla says that Holiday is “in good shape.”
“He’s doing well. He’s getting better.”
Since being traded to the Celtics, Holiday has played a complementary role on offense. However, he’s been one of their best players in the clutch and is viewed as their defensive quarterback. While Boston has the talent and record to be more comfortable without Holiday on the floor than other teams would be, they still need him back. This season, the two-time All-Star has averaged 12.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.7 stocks per game. He’s also shooting 48.5 percent from the field and a career-high 44.5 percent from 3.
He’s scored 38 points in the clutch, fifth on the Celtics. On those attempts, Holiday is shooting 10-20 (50.0 percent) from the field and 3-8 (37.5 percent) from 3. He also has a team-high 14 assists in the clutch.
Payton Pritchard
Holiday’s absence has been a gift for Payton Pritchard, who has stepped up magnificently in the last four games. In this stretch, Payton has averaged 19.3 points and 8.0 assists per game. Doing his best impression of Holiday, he’s also shot at least 40 percent from 3 in every matchup. Averaging 21.1 minutes per game, the 26-year-old is already receiving a steady stream of minutes behind Holiday and Derrick White. However, he’s earning the confidence of his coaches with his performance. As a result, he may see a larger scoring role in the second unit moving forward.
