Bucks' Jrue Holiday Ruled Out vs. Nets with Heel Injury

The Milwaukee Bucks suffered an injury blow in the first half of Tuesday's season opener against the Brooklyn Nets.

Starting point guard Jrue Holiday went down with a right heel contusion, and Milwaukee ruled him out for the remainder of the game.

After the game, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters Holiday's MRI came back clean.

Holiday appeared to suffer the injury on a drive to the basket in the second quarter. He had 12 points on 5-of-7 shooting in 18 minutes before exiting the game. The Bucks came out hot to start the game, leading by as many as 19 in the first half before the Nets closed the gap. Milwaukee was plus-17 with Holiday on the floor.

Prior to the game, Holiday and the defending champion Bucks held a ring ceremony celebrating their title win and unveiled their 2021 championship banner.

Holiday is one of the best two-way guards in the NBA. A two-time NBA All-Defensive first-team selection, he averaged 17.7 points and 6.1 assists during the 2020-21 season. He upped his production and dished out 8.7 assists during Milwaukee's postseason run.

Without Holiday, veteran backup point guard George Hill is sure to see more action. Shooting guards Grayson Allen and Pat Connaughton also could be called upon to shoulder more ball-handling duties.

Allen, who was acquired in the offseason in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies, was signed to a two-year contract extension on Monday and started Tuesday's game in the backcourt alongside Holiday.

Milwaukee has yet to provide information regarding the severity of Holiday's injury, so it remains to be seen if he will end up missing time beyond Tuesday.