Steph Curry is a two-time NBA MVP and the only unanimous winner in championship history.
There are very few players who successfully slow down the Warriors superstar.
But former Golden State forward Andre Iguodala said something interesting this week on “The Bill Simmons Podcast”.
“I’ve seen this guy watching Steph Curry very well. Steph still scored, but he’s the best I’ve ever seen anyone watching Steph,” he said. “And I saw this guy watching KD (Kevin Durant).
“And when I saw him watching KD for 40 minutes, I said, ‘Whoa.’ But I already knew it because we were teammates … Jrue Holiday “.
When the Warriors took on Holiday and the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the 2015 playoffs, Curry averaged 33.8 points and 7.3 assists, while shooting 45.3% overall and nearly 42% since. deep.
And no one will ever forget his 40-point performance in Race 3.
When Golden State faced Holiday and the Pelicans in the 2018 Western Conference semi-finals, the three-time NBA champion returned for Game 2 after a five-week absence due to a sprained MCL in his left knee. He averaged 24.5 points in four games, while shooting 47.8% from the field and 44.1% from 3 points.
So yeah – “Steph scored anyway”.
But yours truly agrees with Iguodala that Holiday – who was named First-Team All-Defense in 2018 and Second-Team All-Defense in 2019 – is a monster on the defensive side.
“Jrue Holiday should have been Defender of the Year two or three times,” said the 2015 NBA Finals MVP. “He should be a First Team (All-Defense) player every year. But he’ll never get that family credit.” .
Also, the timing of Iguodala’s comments is appropriate because Holiday has been linked to the Dubs on multiple occasions recently.
Athletic’s John Hollinger wrote on August 21 of a hypothetical trade between Warriors and Pelicans that would send Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, the No. 2 in the 2020 draft and the protected top three of the Minnesota Timberwolves in New Orleans in 2021 and takes Holiday and JJ Redick to Golden State.
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And as ESPN’s Tim Bontemps wrote on Thursday: “The hottest name may end up being New Orleans Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, but he turned 30 in June and can go free agency in 2021.”
We don’t expect Holiday to wear a Warriors uniform next season, but you never know.
It’s safe to assume that pick 17 of the 2009 draft welcomes the idea of not having to defend Steph anymore.
And watching Holiday, Steph and Klay Thompson share the camp would certainly be a lot of fun.
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