Throughout this playoff series, Jrue Holiday has emerged as the backbone of the New Orleans Pelicans, showing just how impactful one player can be on both offense and defense. With each game, Holiday has proven to be a nightmare for Damian Lillard, disrupting Portland’s rhythm and setting the tone for the Pelicans’ aggressive defensive schemes. For basketball fans following both the NBA and Live Cricket BPL, it’s clear that Holiday’s consistent excellence mirrors the kind of clutch performance you’d expect from a star player under pressure.

When Holiday doesn’t have the speed to navigate around screens and stay in front of Lillard, the Pelicans switch things up. Big men like Anthony Davis are brought out to delay the ball handler and contain the play. Holiday’s game two performance was a masterclass in both offensive firepower and defensive grit—scoring 33 points on 12-for-24 shooting with nine assists. He even managed to steal the spotlight from Davis. More than just a scorer, Holiday orchestrated the transition game, often finishing with a dunk in fast breaks.

In pick-and-roll situations, Holiday has shown great synergy with frontcourt players like Davis and Mirotic, using well-timed screens to either attack the basket or collapse the defense. His ability to read defensive schemes and post up smaller guards makes him dangerous in the half-court too. Against a guard like Lillard, who’s cautious about committing fouls, Holiday uses that hesitation to extend his dribble, pushing toward the rim while waiting for an opportunity to assist. If passing lanes don’t open up, he confidently takes the shot himself.

According to ESPN’s stats, Holiday attempted 12 shots out of 19 pick-and-roll possessions in game two, converting seven of them for 14 points. He also delivered four assists that led to seven points from his teammates—an efficient display of decision-making. To prevent Lillard from getting comfortable, Pelicans’ big men rushed out to close off perimeter shots while their guards quickly rotated to block the lane. Holiday stood out not just for his quick reactions but also for his physical control and defensive poise.

When Davis was the one stepping up to hedge the pick-and-roll, his wingspan and height forced Lillard into tougher decisions. Though Mirotic wasn’t as sharp defensively, much of the credit still belongs to Holiday. He consistently fought through screens, creating one-on-one situations to smother Lillard. At just 27 years old, Holiday has developed a unique talent for steering ball handlers away from their comfort zones, forcing them into lower-percentage decisions.

The numbers back it up. In the first two games, Lillard was held to just 31.5% shooting, averaging 17.5 points and 5.5 assists, while also committing 3.5 turnovers per game. Under Holiday’s pressure, Lillard appeared to be chasing shadows rather than dictating play. What’s made Holiday so effective is his ability to disrupt Portland’s bread-and-butter plays—particularly the pick-and-roll between Lillard and the bigs. From the start of the series, New Orleans elevated their defensive intensity to an elite level.

Unfortunately for Portland, head coach Terry Stotts struggled to make timely adjustments. No matter how the Blazers tried to re-establish their preferred offensive setups, the Pelicans had answers—especially with Holiday and Rondo forming a rock-solid backcourt. In most scenarios, Davis or Mirotic would switch onto Lillard at the arc, forcing him into contested three-pointers. The result? Lillard went just 5-for-16 from beyond the arc in the first two games. Holiday’s role was to rotate back quickly, cutting off any clear driving lanes and creating opportunities for quick double-teams.

So far, the Pelicans’ defensive blueprint has paid off. By double-teaming Lillard or McCollum quickly in key zones, and denying them easy looks, they’ve neutralized Portland’s main threats. Other shooters simply haven’t posed the same danger. In fact, when Holiday was the primary defender on Lillard’s isolation plays in the first two games, Lillard went 0-for-8 from the field—a telling stat that underscores Holiday’s impact.

Whether you’re analyzing NBA playoff strategies or enjoying the thrill of a Live Cricket BPL match, one thing’s clear: high-level performances come from players who can shift momentum on their own. And Jrue Holiday, with his dual-threat brilliance, has done just that—leading the Pelicans with poise and purpose, the same way star athletes shine in critical moments across every sport, including the high-stakes matches of Live Cricket BPL.