NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

July 1, 2021

Jrue Holiday

Milwaukee Bucks

Game 5: Postgame

Milwaukee Bucks 123, Atlanta Hawks 112

Q. How important was it to get off to a better start tonight?

JRUE HOLIDAY: It was one of the main priorities, just to be aggressive out of the gate. Be the aggressor, be more aggressive than they were. And we definitely felt in Atlanta, when whether it was energy from the crowd or whatever it was, but they swung and punched us in the mouth. We didn't want to take any chances. We wanted to come out strong first and hit first.

Q. Jrue, what do you think of the physicality that you are able to play with?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I like playing that way. I'm a bigger guard, so I could take that. I like being physical. I like getting into the paint. Especially when Giannis, our main guy, is getting to the paint especially in transition. He has the advantage of a mismatch. I just felt like I had to do my part today.

Q. Did you say anything specific to Brook about going to the rim? It felt like every time he drove he was way in front.

JRUE HOLIDAY: I think me and Brook kind of have this connection defensively and offensively, just for him to be able to get in positions to help me. So even when I get into the paint, and sometimes his man might step up, I always know that Brook's right behind him. Same thing with defense, I know if I get beat, Brook is behind me, too.

Not only me, but I feel like Brook has a connection with everybody, just to be able to read the game, whether to step off the three or be in the paint and kind of control the paint.

Q. When I watch Bobby play basketball, I think it's fun. Do you guys get that same vibe?

JRUE HOLIDAY: Oh, yeah. He brings this energy that nobody else could bring. It doesn't matter how he's playing, but he's going to muck it up, he's going to fight, he's going to talk, and everybody loves when somebody talks. He knows that we got his back. So, love the way that he plays and continues to play. He's been huge for us.

Q. You had more guys involved offensively. To get that type of momentum going back to Atlanta, what was the importance of that?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I just think with Giannis being out, people had to step up. People knew that they were going to get shots and opportunities, and to step into those with confidence and make those.

Again, everybody who had 20 today is capable of doing that every single game. But we also know our roles. I think for them to be able to do that and step up in a game like this is huge. It's a fun way to play, with everybody sharing and scoring and everybody is contributing. We want to continue doing that.

Q. You mentioned Atlanta, the crowd, punches in the mouth, things like that. Bobby talked about Brook's dunk and how crazy that was. At home when you can get big dunks and that type of thing and that type of offense, do you feel the energy coming from all that?

JRUE HOLIDAY: You for sure do. That's why you have to protect home court. They are the best sixth man you have. Big dunks, big threes, big plays on defense, big blocks, which Brook was doing that tonight, too, big blocks. There's no other feeling like it, to be able to have that crowd behind you and make big plays like that.

Q. Obviously you want Giannis out there and you have talked all year about the different ways you can be used on offense whether he's initiating off the ball. Is it a little easier I guess to start the way you did and have the sort of mindset when you are bringing it up, when you are initiating? Did that help your start today?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I just knew I had to be aggressive, and whatever that means, Giannis being out or not, I knew that I had to be aggressive. I feel like the best way that I'm going to help my team is getting into the paint, penetrating, dishing after the threes, wide open looks and dishes to Brook to make monster dunks like that.

So, honestly I think being aggressive, getting downhill, is something that helps our team out a lot and I have to continue to do that.

Q. Talk about the alley-oop to Brook tonight.

JRUE HOLIDAY: I threw one to Brook today way behind him and he caught it. That was crazy. Hey, man, look, I'm going to throw it -- look, I'm going to keep on throwing it to you -- like he made me look good because I threw a bad pass. I mean, hey, man, Brook's the MVP.

Q. Does it add pressure knowing the Bucks brought you in for this kind of moment?

JRUE HOLIDAY: No, there's no pressure. There's no pressure. I feel like if there's pressure on people, it’s probably Giannis -- I'm kind of the one that assists them and tries to make their lives easier. I'm grateful for the Bucks. I'm blessed for them to come and grab me the way that they did and to be put in this position. This is my first Conference Finals, ever.

So I'm just happy and blessed to be here. I want to make the most of it, take advantage of it.

Q. You talked about how Brook made you look good on the dunk but he was just making players on the Hawks look small all night. He looked like he was eight feet tall and everybody else was trying to claw up to his knee. What's it like when he gets rolling like that and becomes that kind of dominant force?

JRUE HOLIDAY: It makes the game easier for everybody. When Brook is controlling the paint, he's stepping up the three, he's getting to the free throw line, everything else opens up.

Catching lobs like that, it's hard to guard because either I have a lob or I have a shot for myself. Even him controlling on the rebounds, controlling the boards, they couldn't do anything with him. So when Brook is playing like this, plan, it makes our team so much better.

Q. Can he do that every night?

JRUE HOLIDAY: I think he can. You've got to ask him. He's right here. Yeah, he can do this every night. Again, I feel like people forget, like Brook is a leading scorer for somebody else's franchise, so he's definitely a bucket, but the way that he controls himself, I think the way that he carries himself as a professional is something that I admire, but yeah, Brook can do this any time he wants to.