Jrue Holiday’s return is a feel-good story for everyone involved

Jrue Holiday had a dazzling return to the New Orleans Pelicans after missing the team’s preseason and first 12 games. He scored 21 points in his season debut Friday against the Trail Blazers and followed it up a 22-point performance in another victory on Saturday.

But had Holiday’s first two games been complete duds, it would have been OK. Given the circumstances, it’s a godsend that he’s playing, period.

Holiday’s absence from the team came after his wife, former U.S. soccer star Lauren Holiday, was diagnosed with a benign brain tumor while pregnant with the couple’s first child. Doctors induced labor in September and operated on Lauren in October, a delicate two months for both her and their daughter, Jrue Tyler Holiday.

With the health of both his wife and daughter progressing, Holiday -- with his wife’s permission — was finally ready to return. After just one practice, Holiday played 23 minutes off the bench on Friday. It was just what the Pelicans needed.

Coming into that back-to-back, New Orleans had only two wins. They’ve doubled that now, going 4-2 in their last six games and producing some optimism for a team that started 0-8. Not that a 4-10 record is what this team wanted to have in the middle of November, but it’s better than the alternative.

Everyone supported Holiday in his absence, but the Pelicans are incredibly grateful he’s back. Coming into Friday’s game, New Orleans had the fourth-worst offensive rating in the league, scoring just 97.4 points per 100 possessions. After the Pelicans scored 113 and 121 points in Holiday’s first two games back, their offensive rating has already improved two whole points.

With Buddy Hield struggling and Tyreke Evans out, the Pelicans’ guards desperately needed someone like Holiday back in the mix. Tim Frazier and E’Twaun Moore have fared decently as a starting duo, but Holiday can actually get his own shot consistently. Holiday’s chemistry with Anthony Davis picked up right where they left off last season — eight of his 16 assists have gone to Davis. Watch him and Davis run the pick-and-roll repeatedly in the fourth quarter against the Trail Blazers, who can do nothing to stop it.

Holiday immediately improves the Pelicans’ three-point shooting, too. New Orleans has the worst three-point shooting percentage in the league at 30.7 percent, but they’re 23-of-60 (38 percent) behind the arc in the last two games. Holiday’s 4-of-9 shooting helps, but so does 17 passes leading directly to three-point attempts. (New Orleans has hit 8-of-17 on those shots.)

In Saturday’s game against the Hornets, the Pelicans trailed 70-58 when Holiday entered the game with 6:30 left in the third quarter. New Orleans has floundered when facing those type of second half deficits this season. But this time, Holiday scored or assisted on 12 of the next 16 points as the Pelicans eventually secured the overtime win.

The most important part of Holiday’s return is his family’s improving health, but it’s great to see him so energized and effective on the court, too. Holiday knows this better than any of us, of course.

“I’m blessed, man,” Holiday told USA Today. “Blessed to have my family back, blessed that we’re OK. So blessed for the support, especially from the team. This team was there for me and my family. A lot of people were. I just can’t put it on one group of people. So many showed faith and support.”

Everyone wins here. The Holiday family is healthier and has a new child. The Pelicans are thankful a key teammate has rejoined them. And even far removed from the situation, we can’t help but feel vicarious joy for everyone involved.