With seven players ruled out for Wednesday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics looked to a familiar face to fulfill their required hardship 10-day contract spot: seven-time All-Star (and 2001 Celtics draftee) Joe Johnson. Now 40 years old, Johnson has seen an entire career’s worth of basketball come and go since he last donned a Celtics uniform. The 17-year vet wanted to show he still has NBA-caliber basketball in him, and the Celtics’ severe roster shortage provided a perfect opportunity.
For much of the night, calls to get Johnson on the court went unheeded.