Celtics' Jrue Holiday Gets Brutally Honest About Guarding Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving

Boston Celtics' Jrue Holiday opens up on how to guard Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving.

May 26, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) and guard Kyrie Irving (11) react in the second half against the Minnesota Timberwolves during game three of the western conference finals for the 2024 NBA playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Dallas Mavericks are one day away from the NBA Finals starting against the Boston Celtics. The final series of the 2023-24 NBA season should be a tactical masterclass from both sides with two teams with plenty of star power and elite defenses.

The Mavericks roll into the NBA Finals with two of the NBA's best offensive players in Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, two incredibly tough players to guard for entirely different reasons. They'll be facing the Celtics, who posted a 64-18 record in the regular season, and incredible perimeter defenders in Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, and Derrick White.

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Ahead of the NBA Finals, Celtics' Jrue Holiday was asked how to guard the duo of Doncic and Irving.

"Pray," Holiday responded.

The answer was blunt, but it's close to the truth. Irving and Doncic are among the league's top shot creators and makers. They're going to get to their spots in creative ways, and they're going to knock down impossible-to-guard shots.

Holiday, an NBA Champion, is an elite perimeter defender, though. So is White. They're going to pester the Mavericks' star duo, but there's truthfully only so much they can do.

Watching Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla decide on who and how to guard the duo of Irving and Doncic as a team will be interesting. Throwing two bodies at Doncic doesn't typically work as he's an elite playmaker and will expose a defense for hedging off screens or throwing double teams.

It's hard to imagine the series isn't hard-fought and a tight battle. A case can be made for both the Mavericks and Celtics to raise a banner. Irving is facing his former team in Boston, while Kristaps Porzingis is returning to play Dallas.

Boston is aiming to hang banner No. 18, with the Mavericks searching for their second NBA Finals victory.

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Stick with MavericksGameday for more coverage of the Dallas Mavericks throughout the NBA Finals. 

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