The Sixers need Jrue Holiday earlier than they expected. With starting point guard Lou Williams expected to miss eight weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fractured jaw, Holiday stepped into the starting lineup. He played well in his first start, accumulating 10 points, six assists, two steals and four turnovers in 34 minutes against the Celtics before going scoreless until 1:27 remained in a 100-86 home loss to the Hawks. "Every possession is at a higher intensity level," said Sixers coach Eddie Jordan. "For him, every game is a playoff game, in a sense. He needs to stay focused."
Holiday was hurt by Mike Bibby early in the Atlanta game. He allowed Bibby too much room and Bibby made his first five shots, including three three-pointers, in the first quarter.
"It really did (open my eyes)," said Holiday, 19, the youngest player in the league. "(My teammates) were telling me, 'That's how the NBA is.' Even with a hand in his face, he could knock down all five. It was definitely tough and frustrating for me."
"A veteran (Bibby) sees a rookie and his eyes get big," Jordan said. "Jrue is a good defender, but he doesn't know Bibby. Everything is new to him."
The tests figure to keep coming for Holiday, who spent one year at UCLA. He draws the Spurs' Tony Parker Sunday and then the Mavericks' Jason Kidd Monday.
"It's fun for me," Holiday said. "I can run all day. Chasing them will be kind of fun."
Meanwhile, Jordan continues to emphasize the positives with Holiday.
"Jrue Holiday gives us good, solid defense," Jordan said. "He pushes the ball and makes good decisions. He's not afraid to be aggressive offensively."
HAWKS 100, SIXERS 86: The Sixers lost No. 5 in a row. The 5-11 Sixers allowed three Hawks to score 20 points, and Atlanta drained half of its 18 three-point attempts. The Hawks also controlled the boards, 42-32, and made 15 free throws to the Sixers' eight.
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