Celtics honor 2024 champion Jrue Holiday upon his return

BOSTON — Jrue Holiday received a warm reception upon his return to Boston.

The Trail Blazers guard was met with enthusiastic applause when his image appeared on the scoreboard during warmups, another round of cheers during his introduction before the game, and a standing ovation following a tribute video showcasing highlights, including him holding the NBA championship trophy he contributed to winning for Boston in 2024.

“Brought back good times,” Holiday remarked on Monday night after Portland’s 102-94 defeat to the Celtics. “Experiences like that — for me, it felt like that every single game. You put in hard work for this team and this city, and they certainly support you.”

The Celtics obtained Holiday from the Blazers prior to the 2023-24 season and leveraged his two-way skills to secure their 18th NBA championship. However, they had to part ways with him and center Kristaps Porzingis last summer to comply with the league’s stringent second apron luxury tax regulations.

This season was anticipated to be a transitional year while they awaited the return of star Jayson Tatum from an Achilles tendon injury. Nevertheless, Boston currently leads the Atlantic Division and occupies the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, with optimism that Tatum could return for a playoff push.

In the meantime, Holiday was sidelined for two months this season due to a right calf strain and is still under a minutes restriction since his return two weeks ago. He recorded 14 points in 24 minutes on Monday night, then shared a moment with his former teammates on the court.

“It’s just like family. There’s a normalcy to it,” Holiday stated. “You spend so much time with them that they become family, and then suddenly you’re on a different team. So it’s always nice to see them.”

For Holiday, switching teams is no longer surprising. He was initially drafted by Philadelphia and also played in New Orleans and Milwaukee before joining Boston. However, teammate Rob Williams III was somewhat taken aback when the Celtics traded him to the Blazers — in exchange for Holiday — in 2023.

“Everybody’s first trade is just kind of a rough one,” Williams noted, as he had to observe from a distance while the team that drafted him achieved success.

“I watched the entire Finals. I saw them win it. Me and my girl,” he shared. “I went through a phase of feeling happy for my guys. Then I had a moment of ‘Forget them,’ you know what I’m saying? It was mixed emotions, but I’m definitely glad they did it.”