Joe Johnson: ‘The Big3 was everything for me’

Keith Smith: Joe Johnson: “The BIG3 was everything for me, man. Shoutout to Ice Cube for giving me the chance to put my skills on display. I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that opportunity.”
Source: Twitter @KeithSmithNBA

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
Joe Johnson’s previous game with the Celtics… pic.twitter.com/oF0FqzSaY4 – 2:12 AM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
New ESPN story: “Joe’s a bucket.”
20 years after Joe Johnson began his career in Boston, he ended Wednesday night’s win over the Cavs with the shot he’s come to be defined by: an isolation jumper. On Johnson and his “surreal” journey back to the NBA:
espn.com/nba/story/_/id… – 12:36 AM

A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
“I’m glad I got the opportunity. I just want to relish the moment.” – Joe Johnson, who signed a 10-day-contract with the Boston Celtics, the same franchise that drafted him with the 10th overall pick in 2001 – yes, 20 years ago. fullcourtpress.bulletin.com/the-real-motiv… – 11:49 PM

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
Before tonight, Joe Johnson’s last bucket in the NBA came for Houston in Game 6 of the Western Conference Finals at Golden State…
…May 26th, 2018,
That was 1,306 days ago. – 11:33 PM

Mark Murphy @Murf56
Joe Johnson on the crowd: “They made it tough on me. But it was exciting, it was fun to get that type of ovation from the crowd. Them chanting my name, that was pretty special. Appreciate them for that. The game was fun. Just telling those guys what I see out there on the floor.” – 11:21 PM

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Joe Johnson and ISO Joe are trending, but never forget when Kevin Garnett called him Joe Jesus 😂 pic.twitter.com/Iy04x0Cifk – 11:03 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Joe Johnson:
“I’m going to try to do whatever I can to help these guys, help this organization, help this team get wins, man.” – 11:03 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson: “At my age, man, you just try to relish every moment and enjoy the process. Just trying to live in the moment.” – 11:00 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
“The Big 3 was everything for me,” Joe Johnson said, adding if it wasn’t for that he doesn’t think he’d be back in this position without it. He gives credit to Ice Cube for allowing him to take part in it. – 11:00 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson: “The BIG3 was everything for me, man. Shoutout to Ice Cube for giving me the chance to put my skills on display. I probably wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for that opportunity.” – 11:00 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Joe Johnson shouted out @icecube for giving him a chance in the Big 3.
“If it wasn’t for that, I probably wouldn’t be here right now.” – 10:59 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Joe Johnson on the Iso Joe nickname: “It’s gotten pretty big. So to hear the crowd chant that, man, that was fun. That was fun.” – 10:59 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Joe Johnson on the crowd:
“It was exciting. It was fun to get that type of ovation from the crowd. … that was pretty special to me, so I appreciate them for that.” – 10:56 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said “It was exciting, it was fun to get that kind of ovation from the crowd. I appreciate them for that.” – 10:56 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
First game back in Boston in almost 20 years and Joe Johnson got himself a podium game. Should be speaking with the media soon. – 10:49 PM

Joe Johnson @TheJoeJohnson7
Relax it’s just YOGA…. #Namaste pic.twitter.com/FMuX4RQHt8 – 10:46 PM

Michael Scotto @MikeAScotto
Joe Johnson and Lance Stephenson have scored more points than Ben Simmons and Zion Williamson this season. Wild times. pic.twitter.com/z1gS1vIUdn – 10:43 PM

Donovan Mitchell @spidadmitchell
Good to see my guys joe Johnson and Mudiay hoopin In the league again!! – 10:32 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Jaylen Brown played great.
Robert Williams was awesome.
Romeo Langford was really good.
Enes Freedom had a fastbreak dunk.
Joe Johnson knocked down an elbow jumper.
In a season devoid of fun watching the Boston Celtics, tonight was a good night.
Next up: Christmas Day game! – 10:31 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
The last time Joe Johnson scored for the Celtics? Feb. 16, 2002 … in a game in Seattle. – 10:29 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Jaylen Brown on Joe Johnson:
“He’s still got a lot in the tank, if you ask me. … I’m happy to have him on board.” – 10:15 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Jaylen Brown smiled and said he has a lot of memories of Joe Johnson playing with Atlanta. Brown said “We need a guy like him. He brings a lot of veteran leadership to us.” – 10:14 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Jaylen Brown on growing up in the Atlanta area watching Joe Johnson:
“Definitely a childhood icon. To have him here in the locker room, it’s great.” – 10:14 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Jaylen Brown, who grew up in Atlanta, said Joe Johnson was a “childhood icon” for him. – 10:14 PM

Michael Pina @MichaelVPina
has there ever been a more memorable moment in the nba’s 75 year history than the elbow pull up joe johnson drilled tonight – 10:13 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka said he wanted to get Joe Johnson and the other callups in sooner, but the Celtics lead got too small.
On Johnson, Udoka said “He said in the locker room that if he gets the defender on his hip, it’s over. It was good to see. I’m happy for him.” – 10:09 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Joe Johnson joked in the locker room after the game, according to Ime Udoka:
“If I get them on the hip, they’re done.” – 10:09 PM

Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
Players to score as a 20-year-old and a 40-year-old for the same NBA team:
– Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
– Joe Johnson, Boston – 10:04 PM

Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
Pretty sure Joe Johnson is the first player to play in an NBA game after playing in the Big3.
Certainly the first player to play in the NBA after winning Big3 MVP. – 10:03 PM

Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Joe Johnson and Lance Stephenson have scored more points in the 2021-22 season than Ben Simmons… been a wild year pic.twitter.com/lTbUkYpTc9 – 10:03 PM

Jeff Eisenband @JeffEisenband
Joe Johnson still a bucket pic.twitter.com/P8cm9zkLzh – 9:59 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Looked like Joe Johnson was pretty emotional before the game tonight, per the Celtics’ IG story.
Really awesome that he came in and sunk his first jumper back in the NBA. pic.twitter.com/BZs3pt2F2X – 9:56 PM

Rob Perez @WorldWideWob
JOE JOHNSON NBA BUCKET IN THE YEAR 2021!! pic.twitter.com/gnAAYUuLGD – 9:55 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
“It’s amazing to be back here 20 years later,” Joe Johnson said. “It’s still surreal to me.” – 9:54 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said pregame that this is probably his last shot at the NBA.
If he’s correct, that last bucket was pretty cool. Brings him back full circle to where his career started. – 9:54 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Final: Celtics 111, Cavaliers 101. Jaylen Brown had 34 points, Robert Williams had 21, 11 and 7 and Joe Johnson played his first NBA game since Game 7 of the 2018 Western Conference Finals. – 9:54 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson knocks down a jumper and TD Garden needs a new roof. – 9:53 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Joe Johnson is on the board. – 9:53 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
And Joe Johnson gets an isolation on the right wing, settles into a midrange jumper and drains it – to a massive ovation from the crowd here. Pretty neat. – 9:53 PM

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
Joe Johnson sinks a midrange and the Garden goes nuts. #Celtics #Cavaliers – 9:53 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
A Celtics lineup consisting of Joe Johnson, Justin Jackson, CJ Miles, Payton Pritchard and Bruno Fernando, just as we all expected entering this season. – 9:51 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Get Joe Johnson a shot already. – 9:51 PM

Quinton Mayo @RealQuintonMayo
Iso Joe Johnson.
aka The Armadillo Cowboy. pic.twitter.com/gU3mG0BXPk – 9:50 PM

Chris Mannix @SIChrisMannix
Huge ovation for Joe Johnson, who checks into the game as a Celtic for the first time since 2002. – 9:50 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Joe Johnson is making his official return to the Celtics more than three years after playing in his last NBA game with 2 minutes to go here in Boston and the Celtics up 15 on the Cavaliers. – 9:50 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
The Garden is on its feet for Joe Johnson. This is cool. – 9:49 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson checking in for Boston. – 9:49 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
And here comes Joe Johnson to a rousing ovation. – 9:48 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
If the Celtics locked in for like three minutes, the crowd would get Joe Johnson minutes.
Unfortunately, that looks unlikely. – 9:41 PM

Tim Reynolds @ByTimReynolds
I don’t want to say it’s been a minute since Joe Johnson played for the Celtics, but (and these are all true):
– The last time he got minutes for Boston was in Seattle
– LeBron was a junior in high school
– 9 players who have gotten NBA minutes this season were not born yet. – 9:20 PM

Kurt Helin @basketballtalk
Nearly two decades after trade to Suns, Joe Johnson makes history with return to Celtics nba.nbcsports.com/2021/12/22/nea… – 9:07 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Highest-scoring first-half in almost a month for the Celtics.
If they keep this up, there’s a good chance for some fourth-quarter Joe Johnson minutes. – 8:43 PM

John Hollinger @johnhollinger
I wrote about Joe Johnson playing in Boston ….
… in 2008.
espn.com/nba/dailydime?… – 8:31 PM

Kyle Goon @kylegoon
sitting on League Pass waiting to watch Joe Johnson while the TD Garden in-arena pop quiz asks people if they can remember Destiny’s Child and Walk to Remember and I’ve never felt so age shamed in my entire life — the 2000s were NOT THAT LONG AGO – 8:12 PM

A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
The #Celtics are celebrating the 00s tonight and brought out Leon Powe and Brian Scalabrine from the ’08 title squad, to a cheering Green team crowd. Would love to see iso-Joe Johnson (Celtics 1st round pick, 2001) get some run tonight. – 8:08 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
While Joe Johnson is back in Boston tonight, so is Tacko Fall – who, with Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley out tonight, is starting at center against his former team. – 7:40 PM

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
As Joe Johnson returns after nearly 20 years, it’s literally “2000’s night” at TD Garden.
Not making that up. pic.twitter.com/Ap8HVvaM14 – 7:36 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
If you had told me we’d be a few days out from Christmas and the Celtics would be playing a game that might feature Joe Johnson and CJ Miles against Tacko Fall and Luke Kornet, I would have assumed the multiverse is real. – 6:52 PM

Eric Patten @EricPatten
How are CJ Miles, Joe Johnson, and Lance Stephenson on NBA rosters right now, but @jcrossover isn’t? – 6:52 PM

Chris Grenham @chrisgrenham
Very excited for the matchup we’ve all been waiting for: Tacko Fall and Luke Kornet facing Joe Johnson and the Celtics. – 6:51 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
About to hop on @SportsCenter to talk about Joe Johnson being back in the NBA and how the Cavaliers are trying to keep things rolling while being without Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley. – 6:47 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Biggest takeaway from Joe Johnson meeting with the media: He’s excited and grateful for the opportunity to be back in the NBA.
Despite my reservations on the impact the signing will have, it’s always great to see a player end their career on their terms. That’s how it should be. – 6:16 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said he’s thought a lot about coming full circle and back to Boston where his NBA career started. “I thought about it since yesterday. On the flight here I thought about it. It’s been 20 years. A lot of people don’t get this opportunity.” – 6:14 PM

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
Joe Johnson said he wasn’t ready to play 5-on-5 last year with the #Pistons Said he spent the past year plus getting in premium condition. Said he’s in some of the best shape of his life. pic.twitter.com/N8G3TbmACC – 6:13 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said his son asked if he could come to Boston with him. Johnson said he told him “I don’t even know if I’m gonna play. Just relax! (laughs) I’m hoping to get him out here.” – 6:12 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said he feels good. He said “I think this is some of the best shape I’ve ever been in.” – 6:11 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Cedric Maxwell, whose No. 31 is retired — and is the number Joe Johnson wore in his first stint with Boston — just came into his press conference booming “The real No. 31 is in the house!” He said Johnson could’ve worn his old number again this time. He’s wearing No. 55. – 6:11 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Joe Johnson said he’s in “some of the best shape I’ve ever been in.” – 6:11 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Fun moment during Joe Johnson’s media availability: @cedricmaxwell81 interrupted Johnson to welcome him back and Johnson laughed and said “I asked him we could take #31 down out of the rafters!”
Johnson wore #31 when he was a rookie with the Celtics. – 6:10 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said about Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown: “I’ll be in their ear a lot.” – 6:08 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said his 14-year-old son asked him “What was I doing when you were playing?” Johnson laughed and said he told him “You were in the back playing. You weren’t watching the game.” Johnson said he hopes his son can see him play this time around. – 6:07 PM

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
Joe Johnson to @Jay King on if he thought he’d given up on making it back to the NBA: “I wouldn’t say give up, but I wouldn’t say high hopes. My son is 14, so he keeps me in the gym and we work and work and work.” – 6:06 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson on returning to the NBA: “I wouldn’t say I gave up, but I didn’t have high hopes.” – 6:06 PM

A. Sherrod Blakely @ASherrodblakely
“It was a no-brainer for me.” – Joe Johnson when his agent told him Boston was interested in signing him. – 6:06 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson: “This was a no-brainer for me. I take care of myself and my body. I’m ready for whatever comes my way.” – 6:05 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson said his agent told him yesterday “Just be ready. You might get a chance to go play in Boston.” Johnson said his agent then called him 30-40 minutes later and told him to catch a flight to Boston. – 6:05 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Joe Johnson said he was hanging out with his daughter yesterday. His agent told him to be ready, he might be playing in Boston. Called back 30 or 40 minutes later and told him to catch a flight. – 6:04 PM

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
Overshadowed by the Joe Johnson signing today is the return of Tacko Fall to TD Garden. Fall is on the #Cavaliers roster. – 6:00 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka said when he told the team they were signing Joe Johnson that Jayson Tatum smiled and said Johnson was one of his favorite players when he was growing up. – 5:54 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Ime Udoka said Jayson Tatum smiled when he heard Joe Johnson was signing with the Celtics and said that was one of his favorite players. – 5:53 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Ime Udoka says the Celtics look at signings like CJ Miles and Joe Johnson as steadying presences off the bench. Said the goal will be to continue to play the young guys — Payton Pritchard, Aaron Nesmith, Romeo Langford — and that the vets will play if a need arises. – 5:51 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
Ime Udoka said the Celtics believe Joe Johnson can still play, but also value the experience he can bring. – 5:48 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Ime Udoka on Joe Johnson and if he can still play: “If anyone’s watched, you’ve seen him play in the BIG3. It’s obviously different than getting up and down, but he’s shown he can still play.” – 5:48 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
Joe Johnson will meet with the Boston media after Ime Udoka does his pregame availability. – 5:43 PM

Tim Bontemps @TimBontemps
Joe Johnson, whose signing was announced 20 minutes ago, is out here getting some shots up before the game. Johnson’s last game as a Celtic was Feb. 16, 2002 — nearly 20 years ago. He will wear No. 55 tonight for Boston. – 5:22 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
For those jersey aficionados out there, Joe Johnson will wear #55 in his second go-around with the Boston Celtics. – 5:07 PM

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
Joe Johnson will wear #55 for the #Celtics. – 5:06 PM

Chris Forsberg @ChrisForsberg_
Joe Johnson will wear No. 55 (so break out those old Eric Williams jerseys) pic.twitter.com/cXSCZEaU3j – 5:04 PM

Gary Washburn @GwashburnGlobe
In the “You can’t make this stuff up” category, the #Celtics sign Joe Johnson, their No. 1 pick in 2001, on 2000’s night at TD Garden. pic.twitter.com/BqHdEC9KtQ – 4:35 PM

Jay King @ByJayKing
We are podcasting about … Joe Johnson? theathletic.com/live-rooms/the… – 4:03 PM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
I wonder what number Joe Johnson is going to wear with Boston this time around. When he was a rookie he wore #31, but that has since been retired for Cedric Maxwell. – 2:54 PM

Tony Mejia @MejiaDinero
Saw Joe Johnson in Big3 earlier this year and that guy was clearly one of the few who could still give am NBA team a solid 5-7 minutes. Fun to see him back for one last ride with the Celtics – 1:39 PM

Emiliano Carchia @Sportando
Joe Johnson reportedly returning to Celtics sportando.basketball/en/joe-johnson… – 1:34 PM

Sean Grande @SeanGrandePBP
The Celtics traded rookie Joe Johnson on February 20, 2002.
The 19 year, 305 day gap between his stints with the Celtics is not only the longest in NBA history, it’s longer than the entire career of every NBA player but five (Carter, Parish, Garnett, Willis, Nowitzki). – 1:23 PM

Bill Simmons @BillSimmons
Lots of PTSD about 2001’s Joe Johnson for Delk/Rogers trade including…
—Phx gave Bos the choice of including JJ or Kedrick Brown
—We threw in our 2002 #1! Phx took Casey Jacobsen #22.
—Tayshaun Prince went next at #23.
—Didn’t re-sign Rogers, traded for Vin Baker’s Max instead. – 1:01 PM

Ryan McDonald @ryanwmcdonald
Joe Johnson is back in the NBA https://t.co/U9yp7yz0fb pic.twitter.com/mSmPWbrLUo – 12:55 PM

Matt Williams @StatsWilliams
At 40 years and 176 days old, Joe Johnson is the 2nd-oldest player in the NBA right now (Udonis Haslem is 41 years and 196 days old).
Johnson’s first career game came with the Celtics vs the Cavaliers on Oct. 30, 2001.
Tonight, Johnson returns for Boston to face the Cavaliers. – 12:42 PM

Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
What if Joe Johnson to the Celtics started a trend?
If every team signed one player who was a rookie for them in 2001-02…
Spurs: Tony Parker
Bulls: Tyson Chandler
Warriors: Gilbert Arenas
Grizzlies: Pau Gasol
Nets: Richard Jefferson
Wiz: Kwame Brown
Let’s go full early 2000s. – 12:23 PM

Tom Haberstroh @tomhaberstroh
How long has it been since Joe Johnson has played for the Celtics?
This long: pic.twitter.com/YTRT2KFysq – 12:16 PM

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
20 years later, Joe Johnson is a Celtic once again theathletic.com/news/celtics-s… – 12:08 PM

Micah Adams @MicahAdams13
Joe Johnson is back, baby!
Celtics Joe Johnson played against Jazz Karl Malone in 2001.
LeBron James was a junior in high school.
Jalen Green wasn’t born yet. pic.twitter.com/5I1wv59bQj – 12:02 PM

Ryan Wolstat @WolstatSun
With vets like Joe Johnson, Isaiah Thomas and Lance Stephenson returning as emergency callups, which retired ex-Raptor do you most want to stage brief comeback? – 12:00 PM

Steve Bulpett @SteveBHoop
One day after the anniversary of James Naismith introducing the game of basketball, the Celtics sign Joe Johnson.
Joe had 12 points in that game. – 12:00 PM

Scott Souza @Scott_Souza
Feel like Joe Johnson was a Danny Ainge trade deadline or buyout market target nearly every year for a decade. Brad Stevens finally closes the deal at age 40 … pic.twitter.com/xMcjd6JWFB – 11:52 AM

The Vertical @YahooSportsNBA
ISO JOE IS BACK ‼️
Joe Johnson is signing a 10-day contract with the Celtics and is expected to play tonight against the Cavs, per @Adrian Wojnarowski. pic.twitter.com/mCK5gNZ2On – 11:16 AM

Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
If Joe Johnson plays for the Celtics, something has either gone really well or really poorly. There is no in-between. – 11:06 AM

Jon Hamm @JonMHamm
NEVER SEEN BEFORE: Joe Johnson, just signed to a 10-day contract, in a Celtics jersey. Must credit me. pic.twitter.com/3yRavJKsxV – 11:05 AM