Derrick White and Jrue Holiday were on the cover of the latest SLAM magazine. The Boston Celtics backcourt is together on the 252nd SLAM cover, sporting the Larry O’Brien trophy and their Olympic gold medals. The guard tandem of White and Holiday has been integral on both ends of the floor for the Boston Celtics in their NBA championship season and over the summer in the Olympics. Neither were the superstars of the Boston Celtics or Team USA, but the SLAM basketball magazine recognizes the impactful role White and Holiday play.
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday’s Success
The Boston Celtics backcourt had a very successful first season and summer together to earn the SLAM cover. It started when Jrue Holiday was traded to the Boston Celtics in the 2023 offseason, forming one of the best defensive backcourts in the NBA with Derrick White. Both guards have been successful two-way guards their entire careers but putting them on the same team created an excellent tandem. White and Holiday made the NBA All-Defensive 2nd Team, with White averaging 1.0 steals and 1.2 blocks per game and Holiday averaging 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks per game.
They also both contributed on the offensive end. Derrick White had his best season as a Celtic yet, averaging 15.2 points and 5.2 assists per game, shooting 39.6% from three. White stepped up offensively with the best three-point shooting season of his career and became one of the most consistent, reliable Celtics scorers, aside from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Both Guards Had Great Seasons
Jrue Holiday, however, had to take a step back from his role on previous teams offensively. In his most recent stint with the Milwaukee Bucks, Holiday was the third option to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. But in Boston, with players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis, Holiday could afford to play a smaller role on offense.
This proved to be a better role for the 34-year-old Holiday and taking on a lighter load allowed him to stay ready to step up when the Celtics needed him. Holiday would do the little things for the Celtics, making back door cuts or posting up on smaller guards. And on defense, Holiday was a superstar, taking on the likes of Kyrie Irving and Tyrese Haliburton in the playoffs.
He made one of the biggest plays of the Celtics’ playoff run, stealing the ball from Andrew Nembhard to stop a potential game-winning fast break. He made a similar play against the Celtics in game 5 of the 2022 Eastern Conference Semifinals, stripping Marcus Smart in one of the game’s final possessions. Jrue Holiday is a veteran, who knows how to make the necessary winning plays. On a championship roster, there aren’t many players a team would rather have.
Olympics
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday’s winning plays earned them both spots on the Team USA Olympic roster. They both got significant minutes as well, even more than their teammate, Jayson Tatum. This is because of the little things White and Holiday do. They proved on the Celtics that they do not need to be the ball-dominant star to contribute, and that carried over to the Olympics. White and Holiday went from playing off Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to playing off Lebron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant en route to a gold medal.
Final Thoughts
With an NBA Championship, an Olympic gold medal, and a SLAM magazine cover, Derrick White and Jrue Holiday have been a very successful backcourt. The pair is one of the best defensive tandems in the NBA. They do what is asked of them, and may not be the stars, but make winning plays like clutch steals or corner threes. So, this recognition is deserved for one of the NBA’s best duos.
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