Jrue Holiday reveals Celtics’ slight change in game plan vs. Donovan Mitchell

adamtaylornba

Mon, May 13, 2024, 2:34 PM·3 min read

Donovan Mitchell has been a tough cover for the Boston Celtics during their Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The All-Star guard’s ability to score off the dribble and off the catch has made him a difficult cover for the Celtics defense, especially when he’s coming over a screen in the pick-and-roll.

When speaking to the media following Boston’s 106-93 win on Saturday (May 11), Jrue Holiday revealed that he entered that contest with a new game plan to try to wear Mitchell down. That change allowed Holiday to enjoy his best offensive game of the postseason so far.

“I just thought about being aggressive,” Holiday said via MassLive’s Brian Robb. “We know Donovan’s going to be aggressive on one side of the ball but we can make him run on the other side if he’s guarding me. There’s a lot of times where I might defer or do something (else) and I just thought maybe attacking him might get him even more exhausted by the third or fourth quarter.”

Mitchell’s impact on offense had significantly waned by the fourth quarter. He shot 1-of-4 from the field and ended his 10-minute stretch with three points to his name.

Celtics 'answered the call' in Game 3 win over the Cavaliers https://t.co/mrkpyIh6Yw pic.twitter.com/X9O4PfpD1V
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) May 13, 2024

Cleveland will undoubtedly look for ways to counter Holiday’s new plan for slowing down their star player.

However, if Boston can keep making him work on the defensive end, they may have found a way to keep the Cavaliers’ best offensive threat subdued late in games, which would be a major boost to the Celtics’ chances of closing out the series in quick fashion.

Subscribe to the “Celtics Chronicle” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3UAVYRg

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3y0H4Lh

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3QnlPcS

Substack: https://bit.ly/3WoA0Cf

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

image

gallery

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

image

gallery

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

image

gallery

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

image

gallery

David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

image

gallery

Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire

Yahoo Sports
Cavaliers' Donovan Mitchell reportedly expected to miss Game 5 vs. Celtics with calf strain
Mitchell is missing his second consecutive game.
Yahoo Sports
NBA playoffs: Cavaliers All-Star Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen to miss Game 4 vs. Celtics
Donovan Mitchell will miss Monday's Game 4 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics.
Yahoo Sports
NBA playoffs: Celtics put away Cavaliers to reach 3rd straight Eastern Conference finals
Jayson Tatum and Al Horford came up big for the Celtics against a short-handed but scrappy opponent.
Yahoo Sports
NBA playoffs: Jayson Tatum, Celtics hold off late Cavaliers rally to take Game 3
The Celtics now hold a 2-1 lead over the Cavaliers in their Eastern Conference semifinals series.
Yahoo Sports
NBA Playoffs 1st round concludes, Knicks/Pacers preview & Lakers coaching search | Good Word with Goodwill
Vincent Goodwill and The Athletic’s Fred Katz talk through the Cavaliers game 7 win on Sunday, the offseason ahead of the Magic (and Lakers) and preview the Knicks / Pacers 2nd round series.
Yahoo Sports
NBA playoffs: Celtics cruise to Game 4 win over Heat, lose Kristaps Porzingis to calf injury
The Celtics have a closeout game at home, but don't yet know Porzingis' status for Game 5 and beyond.
Yahoo Sports
The Celtics' path forward is clear, but they have an important step to take as a true contender
Boston has had a habit of letting go of the rope in its last two title pursuits. The Celtics would be wise to make quick work of an undermanned Miami squad.
Yahoo Sports
NFL odds: Slow the hype, most bettors believe Caleb Williams and Bears will miss playoffs
The Bears are one of the more interesting NFL teams going into the season.
Yahoo Sports
Daniel Jones 'wasn't fired up about' Giants’ attempts to draft his replacement
Jones heard the chatter about the Giants’ interest in other QBs, but the team passed on drafting one. That means Jones' job is safe. For now.
Yahoo Sports
Gymnast Oksana Chusovitina's quest to qualify for record 9th Olympics at age 48 ends with injury
This may be the end for Chusovitina's Olympic career, but she made her mark on the sport.
Yahoo Sports
Celtics, Jayson Tatum have issues & why NBA playoffs have become survival of the healthiest | Good Word with Goodwill
Vincent Goodwill connects with Yahoo NBA writer Tom Haberstroh to recap a wild Game 1 between the Indiana Pacers and Boston Celtics. The two dissect why the Celtics should be concerned despite pulling out the win and discuss if winning an NBA title is now just about being the healthiest team in the end.
Yahoo Sports
MVP Nikola Jokić headlines All-NBA teams alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Dončić
The All-NBA selection was the sixth for Jokić, who was awarded his third MVP trophy in four seasons on May 8.
Yahoo Sports
Phillies improve record to 36-14, MLB's best 50-game start since 2001 Mariners
Yes, the Phillies have faced a soft schedule. There's still plenty of reason to think they're for real.
Yahoo Sports
NBA Playoffs: Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving lead Mavericks to win in Game 1 thriller
The Mavericks won a game with 14 lead changes.
Yahoo Sports
Mark Davis: 'Nothing wrong' with Aces sponsorship that sparked WNBA probe, points to Caitlin Clark shoe deal
Davis wants to know why there's a problem with $100K sponsorships for Aces players while Caitlin Clark reportedly has an 8-figure deal with Nike.
Yahoo Sports
We've seen this movie before with the defending champion Rangers. Will this sequel have a dark ending?
If a return to the postseason is in the cards, Texas will need to find its groove in the dog days of summer, rather than waiting until the postseason to play its best baseball.
Yahoo Sports
Padres place 4-time All-Star Xander Bogaerts on injured list with fractured shoulder
Bogaerts' injury is worse than initially feared.
Yahoo Sports
Struggling Cardinals, Blue Jays among 3 teams that could spark life into the MLB trade deadline
If teams like St. Louis and Toronto decide to pull the plug on this season, some big names could become available on the trade market this summer.
Yahoo Sports
Michael Schumacher's family reportedly awarded $216K over AI 'interview' of F1 legend that was touted as real
Schumacher finished his career as the all-time leader in F1 driver's championships with seven. He hasn't been seen in public since sustaining brain damage in a 2013 skiing accident.
Yahoo Sports
Jaden Rashada's lawsuit & private capital funding college football
On today's episode, Dan Wetzel, Ross Dellenger and SI's Pat Forde recap Jaden Rashada's recent lawsuit, discuss the latest on the House settlement, break down private capital in college football and a man who trashed the DMV with fish.

New on Yahoo

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Share this

Recommended Stories