Celtics guard Jrue Holiday remains day-to-day (hamstring) with series opener against Knicks approaching

Celtics guard Jrue Holiday’s status remains day-to-day as he recovers from a hamstring strain that caused him to miss the final three games of the opening-round series against the Magic, coach Joe Mazzulla said Friday.

“He’s getting better every day,” Mazzulla said. “Doing whatever he can to make sure he puts himself in position to come back as fast as he can. He’s working hard.”

The 34-year-old Holiday last played April 23 and will have been out nearly two weeks by the time the Celtics tip off Game 1 of the second round against the Knicks on Monday.

Although the Celtics swept the four-game regular-season series against the Knicks, there are no plans to overlook New York.

“This is the playoffs,” Derrick White said. “Everything we did in the regular season doesn’t really mean a whole lot now. It’s not like we get to start off 1-0 or anything like that. It’s the playoffs, they’re there for a reason. They’re a good team and it’s going to be a big challenge.”

The Celtics went 2-1 without Holiday in these playoffs, splitting the road games in Orlando and blowing out the Magic in the Game 5 clincher.

Orlando did not get much offensive production from its guards. None averaged more than 8.2 points per game. The Knicks, who are led by point guard Jalen Brunson , are constructed differently. Brunson is averaging 31.5 points this postseason and scored 40 in Thursday’s Game 6 win over the Pistons.

Holiday’s impact on his teammates is felt on and off the court, White said. The league announced Thursday that Holiday became the first Celtic to win the NBA Sportsmanship Award , which has been given out in 1995-96.

“He’s a great guy. Someone that you look up to and just does it all the right way,” White said. “He doesn’t want praise or recognition, but he’s definitely one of the best people in this game. Obviously he’s a great player, but the person he is, is unbelievable. I’ve learned so much from him and his family. It’s great having him on our team.”

Clutch time

The Knicks scored only 8 more points than the Pistons during the first round. Five of the six games were decided by 6 points or fewer.

Brunson shook rookie Ausar Thompson with a between-the-legs dribble and stepped into a 26-foot, top-of-the-key 3-pointer for the go-ahead basket with 5.3 seconds to play Thursday night.

The Celtics have to be mindful of the details on both ends of the floor when dealing with the Knicks in clutch situations.

“That’s when the money is made right there,” White said. “A lot of difficult reads, difficult decisions. Just trying to maintain the discipline to not foul or to box out. Those little things like that are the difference between getting a stop or them getting a big bucket.

“That, and then offensively just being disciplined in your spacing, being in the right spot, and when it’s your opportunity, just step up and make a play. A lot goes into it, but you’ve really got to pay attention to those little details in big moments.”

Style change

The Celtics and Knicks were eighth and ninth in the league, respectively, in scoring during the regular season. The scrappy, young, defensively focused Magic were 28th.

With Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns leading the way, and Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby each averaging at least 16.2 points this postseason, New York presents a more potent offensive threat than Orlando.

“Obviously, their offensive numbers are better,” Mazzulla said. “Their ability to change defenses is good. They have two guys that can score at all three levels. They’ve got role guys that can really impact the game.”

They haven’t been as effective at guarding on the perimeter. Opponents shot 36.7 percent from 3-point range against the Knicks during the regular season.

The Magic gave the Celtics a bit of trouble with bursts of full-court pressure during Game 3, their lone win of the series. The Knicks’ pressure defense also is formidable.

“They have the ability to impact the margins in a big way,” Mazzulla said. “We have to be able to combat that with our physicality, our attention to detail, and our execution.”