Jrue Holiday’s Shooting Struggles Impact Celtics’ Offensive Efficiency

The Boston Celtics, who dominated the NBA last season with a league-best 64 wins, are facing a different challenge this year. While still a formidable team, they are on pace for 59 wins and trail both the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers in the race for home-court advantage. One key factor in their offensive decline has been the inconsistent shooting of veteran guard Jrue Holiday.

Holiday, known for his elite defense, is averaging 12.0 points per game on 45.0 percent shooting from the field and 34.0 percent from three-point range. However, his offensive impact has waned compared to last season, particularly in losses. In wins, Holiday shoots 41.0 percent from three, but that number plummets to 15.6 percent in losses, the steepest drop among Celtics starters.

“We’re gonna see it again, and it’s gonna be great for us,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after the Memphis Grizzlies intentionally left Holiday open on the perimeter during a December 7 loss. Holiday attempted a career-high 17 three-pointers in that game but made only four. Mazzulla acknowledged the strategy as “bold” and “risky” but hinted that other teams might adopt similar tactics.

Holiday’s struggles extend beyond this season. His playoff three-point shooting has historically been inconsistent, with a 30.4 percent mark during his time with the Bucks and 31.5 percent with the Pelicans. Last season’s 40.2 percent in the playoffs was an outlier, and his corner three-point percentage has dropped from 59.8 percent in 2023-24 to 30.4 percent this season.

Despite these challenges, Holiday remains a critical piece for the Celtics. Mazzulla has encouraged him to be more aggressive offensively, emphasizing the need for his dynamic play to unlock the team’s full potential. “In order for us to be dynamic, Jrue has to be dynamic and aggressive on the offensive end,” Mazzulla said after a strong first-quarter performance by Holiday in a January 3 win against the Houston Rockets.

As the Celtics aim to reclaim their championship form, Holiday’s ability to regain his shooting touch will be pivotal. While the team remains a title contender, their margin for error narrows if his struggles persist.