Jrue Holiday’s Celtics role through the numbers

After signing his four-year, $135 million extension back in April, Jrue Holiday alluded to Joe Mazzulla’s coaching approach and how it has impacted his game. Holiday said, “Joe has definitely grown my game, grown my vision and perspective on basketball.”

We can all agree we witnessed a great season from Jrue Holiday. But what sets it apart from his standards in Milwaukee? Let’s dive deep into the numbers to better understand how Jrue Holiday’s role has changed for the better.

Finding balance

Jrue Holiday has often been viewed as a smart player with great impact. Nonetheless, I’ve always found his shot selection questionable — especially his three-point shooting. During his last season in Milwaukee, Jrue averaged over four pull-up threes per game, one of the highest volumes in the league. On the other hand, his catch-and-shoot volume was half that.

Even though Jrue was quite good on pull-up threes, catch-and-shoot threes are typically more efficient and stable. We often hear that Jrue’s shooting struggles in the playoffs, which is mostly due to variance and unreliable shot selection. However, this year, Jrue Holiday shot very well in the postseason. Was it luck? Did Jrue become a better shooter? Or did he change his shot selection?

For the first two months, Jrue Holiday’s pull-up three volume decreased but remained higher than his catch-and-shoot volume. Then, starting in January, Jrue began taking more catch-and-shoot threes than pull-ups and never looked back.

Thanks to this adjustment, Jrue became the sniper the Celtics needed, changing the narrative around his shooting in the playoffs. These metrics reveal how Jrue Holiday has evolved his approach to three-point shooting.

From an above-average creator to an elite connector

Jrue Holiday taking more catch-and-shoot threes means he’s no longer the primary creator. He has become a player who thrives on advantages already created by his teammates — a player who maintains those advantages and optimizes them. A connector. That’s what the numbers show us.

Per Cleaning the Glass, Jrue Holiday was assisted on 30% of his field goals during his last season in Milwaukee. Last year with Boston, that jumped to 58%! Jrue used to create two-thirds of his buckets; now, he creates a bit more than one-third of them. This aligns with the earlier stats on pull-up versus catch-and-shoot threes. Another great statistical indicator of this evolution is tracking his touches.

Wie see a significant shift: Jrue Holiday has moved from creator to connector. Playing the same number of minutes, Jrue drastically changed his relationship with the ball. First, he touched it less, which could be explained by Boston’s star power. But what’s more telling is how he used it. The tracking shows us that Jrue held the ball for shorter periods, dribbled less, shot less, but kept the offense alive with his passing.

In an offense populated by elite creators and finishers, Jrue Holiday helped connect the pieces, generating one of the best offenses in the history of the game. Jrue sacrificed what made him an All-Star in the media’s eyes to become one of the league’s best (if not the best) connectors. Talent can take many forms and have various impacts. For the good of the team, Jrue optimized his talent in a more restricted role but with tremendous impact.

At what cost?

Last season, the Celtics wouldn’t have won without Jrue. However, even the best connector in the world doesn’t bring as much value as a great creator. The issue is, Jrue Holiday will be kinda paid like one. With his new contract, Jrue will represent around 20% of the league’s cap space over the next four seasons.

Yes, this is less than Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who will both account for 35% of the cap. But at 35 years old in 2025-26, Jrue Holiday will earn $32.4 million — more than Derrick White and Kristaps Porzingis. Will it be worth it? Only time will tell, but managing these contracts will be tricky in the future.

Once again, we’ll have to trust Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla to make miracles and optimize the roster. They have done it before, but will they be able to do it again?