Players coming back to haunt their former teams isn’t something new in the NBA or any other sport for that matter. It’s part and parcel of professional sports, and to be honest, it is an enjoyable anecdote whenever it occurs. Unless it happens to your team, of course.
On December 27, while playing against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Boston Celtics found themselves at the mercy of an old ally. Greg Monroe, a two-time member of the Celtics, provided the Timberwolves with an exceptional performance.
In 25 minutes of gameplay, the veteran big man provided 11 points, nine rebounds, six assists, two steals, and a block shooting 55.6% from the field. Monroe did all of this after being out of the NBA for two-and-a-half years to make his performance even more noteworthy.
Monroe has played 28 games for the Celtics during his career, averaging 10 points, six rebounds, and two assists per game. It’s also noteworthy that the veteran big man has always found success against Boston, with StatMuse tracking him, averaging 15.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 57.4% from the field.
The Greg Monroe Timberwolves Timeline is Fun
Sometimes, things happen for a reason, and following his performance against Boston, Monroe likely feels like his return for the league is one of those times. From signing his contract at 4 am, catching a flight that gets re-routed, meeting his coach for the first time, and then dominating in his first game back in the NBA. The basketball gods were looking down on Monroe during his return, that’s for sure.
And for a Timberwolves team who COVID had decimated, Monroe’s performance was a much-needed jolt. With both Karl-Anthony Towns and Naz Reid unavailable, Monroe provided a reliable presence on both ends of the floor. At the same time, his playmaking was a surprising twist and certainly hurt the Celtics on multiple occasions.
“Not gonna lie, Jaylen Nowell played awesome tonight, but I had no idea who that was.”
The fact that Monroe, and multiple other Timberwolves call-ups, was so impressive in their first game as a unit further hurt Celtics fans’ feelings. Here was a team that had been cobbled together from the G-League and proverbial scrap heap, and they were playing with more passion, fire, and cohesion than a Celtics roster that boasted veterans such as Jaylen Brown and Al Horford.
No wonder Celtics fans are so concerned about the team’s chances against the Los Angeles Clippers on December 29.
Celtics Twitter Reacts to Monroe’s Game
Whenever a player gets cooking against the Celtics, fans will air their frustrations. So, you can imagine how frustrated some of those fans are when it’s an ex-Celtics player, and even more so when that same player has been out of the league for over two years.
Of course, Celtics Twitter never fails to give you a read on the general consensus and usually provides some self-loathing and good-natured humor to round out the experience.
“Greg Monroe killing Boston. What kind of portal to hell did the Celtics fall through?” Celtics analyst Keith Smith wrote.
“This is b*******. Greg Monroe didn’t do this as a Celtic,” Dan Greenberg of Barstool Sports commented on Twitter.
If you’re looking for consistency Celtics, Twitter has you covered, as it never fails to amplify the highs and lows of the team’s rollercoaster season. This means, in the coming weeks and months, there will be some fantastic posts and some that should never see the light of day.
Despite Monroe’s impactful return to the NBA, he is only on a 10-day hardship exception deal, and there’s no telling if he can repeat his performance from the Celtics game or if he gets the chance too.
But he definitely made the most of his opportunity, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see him land on a roster for the remainder of the season. It’s just unlikely to be the Celtics roster.
Former Celtic Haunts Team in Return from 2 Year Hiatus