Left to question even his own availability for Game Three as he nursed himself through a fever hot enough to keep him out of his team’s morning shootaround, Jrue Holiday summoned his energy and arrived to the Eastern Conference Finals stage in the only way he ever has: coolheaded and collected. Unbothered by neither his rising temperature nor the rising tensions of the one-point game with under 10 seconds to go, Holiday puts his degree in late-game lockdown defense to use, barricading Andrew Nembhard’s path to a game-winning layup. Instinctually recognizing Nembhard’s desire to get to a right-handed drive, the six-time All-Defensive Team selection plays the drive to perfection, stripping the ball and sealing the Indiana Pacers’ fate with a single swipe. The steal — paired with Holiday’s clutch and-one just a half-minute before — reaffirmed Holiday’s status as one of the game’s most impactful talents. Riding that wave to a 13-2 run over the game’s home stretch, the Boston Celtics took a commanding 3-0 lead on May 25, 2024. An ultimate X-factor, Holiday contributed 14 points, nine rebounds, three assists, three steals, one block, and one triple. · May 26, 2024