Jrue Holiday admits to shock over trade away from Boston: “all of a sudden you’re on a different team”

When Jrue Holiday stepped back onto the hardwood at TD Garden this week, it wasn’t just another regular-season NBA game. For a few moments on Monday night, it was a celebration of the part he played in one of the most memorable championship runs in recent Celtics history.

Holiday, now a guard for the Portland Trail Blazers, returned to Boston for the first time since helping his former side capture an historic 2024 NBA title. From the first glimpse of his name on the scoreboard during warmups to the raucous applause during his formal introduction, fans made it clear that his brief but impactful time in green left a lasting mark.

The highlight of the night, which saw Portland lose 102-94 to the Celtics, came midway through the game when the home side played a tribute video celebrating Holiday’s contributions to their 18th league championship. The video showcased clips of Holiday’s defence, leadership and scenes of him lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

“You play hard for this city, and they have your back”

The crowd responded with a standing ovation that lasted several seconds, something that appeared to have the desired effect.

“Brought back good times,” he said after the game. “Something like that -- for me, it felt like it was like that every single game. You play hard for this team and this city, and they definitely have your back."

“It’s just like family. There’s a normalcy to it,” Holiday added before revealing: “You spend so much time with them that they become family and then just all of a sudden you’re on a different team. So it’s always good to see them.”

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Holiday’s tenure in Boston was brief, spanning just two seasons before salary cap pressures forced a tough decision from Celtics management. Boston elected to trade Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis last summer to remain below the NBA’s luxury tax threshold.

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