Bucks Zone

Standing ovation and thunderous applause greet Jrue Holiday in an emotional return to Milwaukee

Jrue got the welcome he deserved.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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Playing the back end of a back-to-back and coming off an overtime win, the Boston Celtics looked tired when they visited the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday night. The Bucks showed no mercy and dealt the Celtics a thorough beating, 135-102.

Milwaukee meant business from the get-go, but the atmosphere changed during the break when the Bucks gave Jrue Holiday a tribute video.

The contest marked Jrue’s first game in Milwaukee since being traded in the summer, and the Bucks gave him a warm welcome by playing a two-minute video showing some of his best plays during his three-year stint with the team.

Showing some love for Jrue

While the video was being played, the adoring crowd gave Holiday a standing ovation and showered him with thunderous applause in great recognition of the veteran playmaker’s immense contribution to the organization. Jrue was thrilled to see the fans cheering him on.

“It was awesome. My stint here, I had a great time and it was really fun. Had some great memories on the Jumbotron, so it was cool kinda see that. The fans here have always been great. They’ve always been supportive of me and my family and the team here, so it was definitely a fun place to play,” said Holiday, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

Holiday didn’t get to watch the full video, claiming that his focus was on the game after the Celtics fell into a significant deficit right from the opening tip.

“A little bit of it. We was getting our a** kicked though, so I was kinda locked into the game trying to figure that out. But I saw some of it,” Holiday said.

Thankful to Milwaukee

Holiday was instrumental when the Bucks won the NBA title in 2021, ending the team’s 50-year title drought. His tenure with the came to an unexpected end when he was traded during the offseason in a multi-team deal that brought Damian Lillard to Milwaukee.

The Bucks may have let him go, but Jrue remains thankful to the Milwaukee organization for what it has done for his career.

“And again, I just appreciate what the Bucks have done for me and my family. Everything that we’ve been through, the city of Milwaukee, what it means to me and my family, so it was cool to come back. It was cool to have the video, but I’m glad it’s over,” he said.

Jrue also shared touching moments with his former teammates, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Brook Lopez.

Holiday didn’t get the result he wanted in his homecoming as the Bucks pulled off a lopsided 135-102 victory. Jrue shot 2-of-2 from the field and scored just six points in the loss.

The Milwaukee Bucks pound the Boston Celtics to end two-game slide

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.