John DeShazier is a member of the Pelicans radio broadcast team:
Full disclosure: I didn’t see it in real time.
I was so bug-eyed over Anthony Davis’ throwdown – a facial of Portland center Jusuf Nurkic in Game 3 of their first-round matchup, that left the Trail Blazers center sprawled on the court like a toddler who’d tumbled over – that I missed the minutiae of the aftermath. Because even though it wasn’t the first time we’d seen A.D. treat an opponent as if he was invisible (his path to superstar status this season is littered with such moments), the moment arguably was the most turned up in the Smoothie King Center during New Orleans’ season.
But after a flush that only Darryl Dawkins adequately could describe, amid the hysteria in the stands and jubilation/humiliation on the court, one gesture really crowned the moment.
Right there, on the replay, slowed to a halt for emphasis, was Jrue Holiday on the baseline pointing at Nurkic, while the big man scrambled to his feet.
Yeah, Jrue Holiday.
Now, I’m guessing that if he had to do it over again, he might not have done it. It was out of character and Holiday hasn’t made a habit of openly taunting opponents. But for the Holiday who emerged during the playoffs – after having his best regular season, he rose another two or three levels during the playoffs – it was a level of brashness that punctuated his confidence in himself and his team.
At the risk of putting words in Holiday’s mouth, it was almost an “Is that the best you got?” kind of thing. For Portland in that series, actually, it didn’t get much better.
For the Pels, the best appears yet to come.