On a day when the Oklahoma City Thunder announced that reigning league MVP Kevin Durant will miss the remainder of the 2014-15 season, including the playoffs, Pelicans Coach Monty Williams said he doesn’t expect the same fate for his starting point guard, Jrue Holiday. Prior to Friday’s home game against the Sacramento Kings, the fifth-year head coach told the media that based on Holiday’s recent improvement, he believes the second-year Pelican will be able to return before the regular season concludes.
“I don’t think he’s going to be out for the rest of the season,” Williams said. “I’ve watched his workouts for the past few times he’s been on the floor. He’s doing more and more. Can I give you a date? No. But, we only have so many games left. Lord willing, we’ll have a lot more after the regular season is over. But the way I’m watching him ramp up his workouts, I wouldn’t be surprised if he was back next week or so.”
The Pelicans miss Holiday in several areas, but perhaps most prominently his individual on-ball defense. During two December games against the Thunder, for example, Holiday helped hold Russell Westbrook to a pair of pedestrian offensive performances. Without Holiday in the lineup in February, Westbrook poured in 45 and 48 points in consecutive games vs. New Orleans.
Williams said he has already drawn up a minutes plan for Holiday’s return; he’s now hopeful that the sixth-year pro will be able to participate in a full practice with his teammates.
“I’ve already done that, in the event that he does come back,” Williams said of planning for integrating Holiday back into the mix. “Because I’m ready to have him back. He does a lot for us. I’m watching film from earlier in the (season), and you look at those clips and you look at Jrue on the floor, we’re a totally different defensive team. He disrupts a lot of stuff. You don’t really appreciate it until he’s not out there.”
The Pelicans’ upcoming schedule could potentially make it difficult for Holiday to practice with his teammates because there are few remaining dates available. For example, New Orleans plays nine games in the first 15 days of April. Some of those non-gamedays are scheduled off days due to back-to-back games.
“I think once he reaches a certain point in his ramp-up workouts, we’ll be able to target that,” Williams said of an initial practice for Holiday. “The tough part is we don’t have a lot of time to practice, especially full-contact, fullcourt practices. He looks a lot better than he did a month ago. I just don’t see Jrue sitting out for the year.”