THE RETURN: Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett return to Boston today

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Today at 6:30 in Boston two legends, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, return to their old stomping grounds for the first time since leaving the team for a new challenge in Brooklyn.

The Brooklyn Nets made a previous trip to TD Garden to face the Boston Celtics in the preseason and neither player made the trip for obvious reasons.  This day will be more emotional than any other so having it happen in a preseason game just wouldn’t be right.

Pierce was drafted by the Celtics spent all 15 of his previous seasons with Boston while Garnett was there for six seasons. Together they led the team to its 17th NBA championship in 2008.  They made it back to the finals in 2010, but lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the seventh game.

This week when asked what it would be like to return Pierce was honest and opened up a bit.

[quote_box]”It’s going to be a little weird. It’s going to be a lot of emotions. You play your whole life there. You won a championship there. The first time coming to the building (as a visitor), I never thought it would happen.”

“I talked to Johnny Joe today and I told him I’ll probably sit in the equipment room like I always did in my 15 years there,” said Pierce. “It’s going to be a little weird, though. I don’t know, it’s going to be a fun time seeing some of the guys, some of the season ticket-holders, (TV announcers) Mike (Gorman) and Tommy (Heinsohn). It’s going to be fun seeing those guys.”[/quote_box]

Garnett was not drafted by Boston like Pierce as he spent his first 12 seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves but winning a championship in a city that you played six seasons with brings unforgettable memories that can never be erased.

[quote_box]”The emotions probably will be high just because of the success that we had,” Garnett said. “We were fortunate to be part of that whole transformation and some things are forever, man, and I’m happy to say that I’m part of that era.”

“I’m sure the emotions are going to be very high and I’ll react accordingly,” Garnett said, “but we’re there to win a game and I hope this doesn’t overshadow the game. It’ll be good to see Rondo and some other personal friends that, obviously, don’t play. Other than that, it’s another game that I’ve got to be prepared for.”[/quote_box]

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The return should be very emotional for both and the Celtics will probably roll out the red carpet for both legends with plenty of video tributes during timeouts so the focus from their new Nets teammates needs to be even higher than normal to help them secure the victory.

The Nets find themselves in a weird situation as they have been on a roll since the calendar turned to 2014 so keeping the flow going is imperative playing a team that has lost 16 of their last 19 games and balancing the days activities will be anything but normal.

They would like nothing better then to help their new teammates put their Celtics career in the rear view mirror with a triumphant return and their fifth straight win.

Here is a video tribute to The Truth.

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