On December 22, 2021, Joe Johnson played for the Boston Celtics for the first time since 2002.
He only played in the final couple minutes of the green’s double-digit win against the Cavaliers, but he made it worth it.
The 40-year-old seven-time all-star attempted one shot in his return and he lived up to his “Iso Joe” nickname:
The potential Hall of Famer — Basketball-Reference has probability at 50.6 percent — signed a 10-day contract with the team that drafted him.
He made the TD Garden crowd happy with the Celtics’ last bucket of the game.
The NBA veteran, who kept himself in shape by playing BIG3 basketball, has joined a couple of blast-from-the-NBA-past veterans on the Celtics:
20-somethings Justin Jackson and Norvel Pelle are also gracing the green’s bench.
Ime Ukoda has his work cut out for him with more than half his Christmas Day roster questionable or out.
If the Celtics do not have many players active, we may see more of the Iso Joe — also known as Armadillo Cowboy — show against the Bucks.
If so, maybe we will see some old-school moves from Johnson.
On Saturday, will he turn the clock back more than 10 years when he was playing his best basketball?
His top three seasons were the following:
3. 2009-10
When Johnson entered the game on Wednesday, he was averaging the following career statistics:
He topped 20 points per game in five of the first 18 seasons of his NBA career.
Those five seasons were the first five of his Atlanta Hawks career.
The last of those five years was a very strong year in which he produced the following numbers:
- 21.3 points per game (11th in the NBA)
- 8.8 turnover percentage (19th)
- 6.0 offensive win shares (19th)
He also made the All-NBA Third Team that season, but the Magic swept the Hawks in the second round of the playoffs.
Unfortunately, Johnson went 9-for-41 from 3-point distance in the 2010 playoffs, his worst performance in which he started during a postseason.
All in all, Johnson had a tremendous season that year, but his Atlanta squad fizzled out in the playoffs.
2. 2005-06
As many NBA fans remember, Johnson and the Hawks were just not mighty enough to win in the postseason.
However, let us focus on the other great regular seasons for Johnson.
Beginning with the 2005-06 season, Johnson started making double-digit millions per year — and he would do so through the 2016-17 season.
Although he did not make the all-star team in 2006, this was the first year of his career in which he put up more than 20 points per game.
Johnson’s career-high averages in assists, steals, blocks came in the 2005-06 season.
His 6.5 assists per game ranked 14th in the NBA, and he had a top-20 assist percentage.
Johnson also registered the first triple-double of his career during this season.
For those wondering, he had two career triple-doubles, with the other coming in 2008-09.
1. 2006-07
Johnson’s top season was the first all-star season of his career.
He had the best scoring average of his career in 2006-07, with his most free throws coming during that season.
Johnson finished ninth in scoring average with 25 points per game.
It is understandable that he had a high scoring output because he had the highest usage percentage of his career.
Johnson had some very impressive seasons in Atlanta
Who would have known what would have happened with his career if Celtics coach Rick Pitino did not trade him to Phoenix during his rookie season?
Johnson’s best years did not come until after he blossomed in his move to Atlanta, but he now has the chance to leave on a good note in Boston.
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