Javonte Green’s return to the Celtics came with a little extra meaning, even if the result was all about Detroit. The veteran wing, now in his eighth year in the Association, spent less than two seasons in Boston, but that stop clearly still matters to him.
Green’s path to the NBA was anything but straight. He starred at Radford, where he became one of two players in NBA history to suit up for the Highlanders.
After going undrafted, he headed overseas and began building his résumé in Spain, where he earned MVP honors and helped Marín Peixegalego win the Spanish third division, LEB Plata. He later played in Italy and Germany before getting his shot in the NBA at 26.
That opportunity came with the Celtics, and Green hasn’t forgotten how that first franchise helped him settle in. Reflecting on that stretch with Boston, he said, per RG.org: "The hospitality from them.
Especially, I wasn't like a traditional rookie," Green said while reflecting on his stint with the Celtics, per RG.org. "Teaching me how to get adjusted to the league and things like that as an older guy.
It was a great feeling."
He still keeps in touch with former teammates such as Jayson Tatum and Kemba Walker, a sign of how the bond from that locker room has lasted.
Then came Tuesday night in Detroit, where Green turned into the difference-maker against his former team. He didn’t see action in the first half, but when J.B.
Bickerstaff went to him, Green delivered 19 second-half points, tops on the team after the break. He hit five of his eight 3-point attempts and gave the Pistons exactly the jolt they needed in front of the home crowd at Little Caesars Arena.
Detroit rode that burst all the way back from a 22-point hole. Boston, in a new era without Jaylen Brown, had not lost when leading by at least 20 during the 2025-26 season, but that streak ended in stunning fashion. The comeback also became the largest opening-day rally in the NBA’s play-by-play era, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line, with that record tracking back to 1997-98.
Green’s shooting helped Detroit outscore Boston 76-55 over the final 24 minutes, a sharp reminder of how much he’s grown since the Celtics gave him his first real NBA door. For Green, Boston will always be the place where that journey began.
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