Jrue Holiday's 'amazing' reaction to Celtics fans booing Steve Kerr
Impressing Boston sports fans is tough. They've seen plenty of winning and expect the most from their team, which can create a lot of pressure. They also have the backs of those who work hard for them, so it's no surprise that they were there to support Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum on Wednesday night.
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, Team USA head coach and Golden State Warriors skipper Steve Kerr struggled to find minutes for Tatum . The five-time All-Star and reigning NBA champion played less than all his American teammates besides Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton.
Even Celtics guards Derrick White and Jrue Holiday , who don't have the individual accolades Tatum does, were on the court more. Team USA still won it all and Tatum earned his second gold medal before turning 27, yet the Celtics faithful couldn't ignore the Summer Games snub.
When the Dubs visited TD Garden to take on the C's, fans showered Kerr with boos during pregame introductions. Holiday respects the future Hall of Famer, but couldn't hide his satisfaction at hearing the Boston crowd jeer, via FanDuel's "Run it Back" show.
"The fans didn't like it," Holiday said of Kerr's Olympic rotations. "They booed the hell out of bro. I like Steve, but that was amazing though."
Kerr responded to the boos by waving and managing his Warriors to a 118-112 victory. The Western Conference contenders have won five straight games and are 7-1 to start the 2024-25 regular season.
What does Jrue Holiday think of the 2024-25 Celtics?
Holiday struggled on offense in the loss, mustering six points in 33 minutes while missing all six of his attempts from deep. The two-time All-Star isn't worried about his squad though, as he's confident that the Celtics can be just as great as they were last season, if not better.
"I definitely think we can be," Holiday answered when asked if Boston can improve upon its victorious 2023-24 campaign. "I think it's because of the chemistry we built ... When you go through a season like last year and you win and you do it together and everybody is not only on the same page, but everybody messes with each other—I think it means a lot. The care for each other is there more ... People wanting to do what's best not only for themselves but for the team carries over into this next year."
Following the Wednesday evening defeat, the Celtics are 7-2 and in second place in the Eastern Conference. Boston boasted the same record through nine games last season.
During that opening stretch last year, the C's had a healthy starting lineup. This season, starting center Kristaps Porzingis has been recovering from offseason surgery and probably won't return until December. Reigning NBA Finals MVP Jaylen Brown has also missed three games so far due to a hip injury.
"I think we're a lot better," Holiday reiterated. "And we don't even have [Porzingis] yet."
When the Celtics improved to 7-2 during the 2023-24 regular season, they proceeded to win eight of their next 10 contests. Matching that dominance won't be easy, however, Holiday believes the Green Team has the talent and chemistry to do so. Their first opportunity to bounce back will be on Friday night at home versus the Brooklyn Nets.
