On November 5th, at 7 PM, the Boston night air carried the biting chill of early winter, but outside the New Garden, it was a scene of vibrant energy.
A long line of fans waited to enter, and amidst the sea of green, a jersey with the number 7 stood out brightly... That was Eddie Jones ' number. The prominent "JONES" on the back of the jersey bounced with the fans' steps.
In the crowd, a boy of about ten years old, wearing a slightly oversized number 7 jersey, looked up and tugged at his father's sleeve. "Dad, Eddie really coming back today?"
The father gently ruffled his son's hair, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Yes, son. But he's already a Sacramento Kings player."
"Why is he leaving? Didn't we just win the championship?" The little boy's clear eyes were full of confusion.
The father paused for a moment, recalling Lin Qi's explanation of the Eddie Jones trade at the press conference, then squatted down to look his son in the eye. "Because everyone has the right to pursue their dreams, maintaining the status quo isn't always the best option."
"But I'll miss him..." The little boy lowered his head sadly.
"Me too." His father patted him on the shoulder. "So tonight, let's give him a good round of applause and send him our best wishes, okay?"
The little boy nodded vigorously.
Soon after, nearly 20,000 fans filled the arena to capacity. Boston is known for its intimidating home court, but tonight the air was less tense and more warm. Homemade signs were held up everywhere in the stands.
Thank you, Eddie!
[7 Forever!] (Number 7 Forever!)
We miss you, Eddie!
Meanwhile, in the visiting team's locker room, Eddie Jones sat nervously in front of his locker, his hands clasped together. This was his first return to this familiar arena as an opponent since leaving Boston. Rashard Lewis walked over and gently put his arm around his shoulder. " Eddie, take a deep breath, are you okay?"
"To be honest, I'm a little nervous," Eddie forced a wry smile.
"Relax, buddy."
"But I'm wearing a purple jersey right now..." Eddie sighed. "I don't know how the Boston fans will greet me."
At 7:30 p. m., the stadium lights suddenly went out. The fans stirred briefly at first, then, as if realizing something, erupted into a tsunami of cheers.
The DJ's deep, passionate voice resonated in the darkness. "Ladies and gentlemen! Before tonight's game begins, we have a very special ceremony. Last season, our Boston Celtics lifted their 18th NBA championship trophy!"
The cheers under the dome nearly lifted the roof off.
"And tonight, the warrior with green blood flowing through his veins has returned. He fought alongside us, burning himself out for Boston's two championship banners! He is... Eddie Jones!"
The applause was deafening, and all the fans wearing the number 7 jerseys stood up abruptly, clapping their hands wildly.
The large screen in the center of the stadium quietly lit up, and a long-forgotten memory was awakened anew.
At the 1994 NBA Draft, then-NBA Commissioner David Stern walked onto the stage, looked at the envelope, and spoke into the microphone.
The Temple University Boston Celtics selected Eddie Jones with the 9th overall pick!
The images flashed repeatedly: during his rookie season, he was trying to defend Michael Jordan, diving forward fearlessly when Jordan attempted a fadeaway jumper... his steal and fast break dunk... his celebration after hitting a three-pointer from the corner... and him slamming his body heavily onto the hardwood floor to save a ball that was about to go out of bounds.
The camera cuts to the NBA Finals of the shortened 1998-99 season. Facing the San Antonio Spurs, Eddie tirelessly ran and chased down defenders, making a crucial steal and assisting Pierce for a fast break score. After the awards ceremony, he held the championship trophy, his eyes red with tears.
Next up was the 1999-2000 NBA NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. In the footage, Eddie is guarding Kobe Brian, remaining unmoved even when an annoyed Kobe shoves him. The moment they won the championship, he smiled at the camera.
The locker room was filled with champagne and revelry, Garnett was arm in arm singing, and Eddie was awkwardly dancing with Gary Payton and Big Ben... The scene ultimately froze on Eddie's interview. When asked if sacrificing stats for the team was worthwhile, he gazed tenderly at the trophy in his hand and softly said, "That's the Answer."
The screen gradually darkened, and several lines of golden text slowly appeared in the center of the screen.
Eddie Jones
"1994-2000"
"2× NBA Champion (1999, 2000)"
"Banner 17 & Banner 18"
"Once a Celtic, Always a Celtic."
(Once Celtics, always Celtics.)
At this moment, all 20,000 fans in the stadium had stood up, and no one hesitated to applaud. Many veteran fans already had tears in their eyes, and the little boy wearing the number 7 jersey stood on his seat, clapping vigorously while letting tears stream down his face.
A spotlight shone on the center of the court. Celtics owner Lin Qi, dressed in a well-tailored dark suit, stood quietly, holding an exquisite green velvet wooden box. Another spotlight focused on the players' tunnel, where Eddie Jones, wearing Kings purple warm-up jersey, slowly entered the scene, his eyes already red.
As the DJ shouted, the entire venue erupted in a unified chant. "Eddie! Eddie! Eddie!"
When Eddie's shoes touched the Boston court again, his legs trembled slightly uncontrollably. He walked up to Lin Qi, and the moment their eyes met, the tough guy's defenses crumbled completely, and tears streamed down his face.
Lin Qi picked up the microphone, his deep, sincere voice resonating throughout the room. " Eddie, welcome home."
The cheers erupted once more. Lin Qi looked around and slowly said, "In his last season with the Celtics, Eddie averaged only 10 points per game. Perhaps to many, this number seems insignificant. But I must tell every fan here... those 10 points are more valuable than any 20 or 30 points! Because they were earned through sacrifice. He poured all his energy into the most physically demanding defensive end, battling against the opponent's sharpest weapons, fighting for every rebound, and doing all the dirty work. He sacrificed his own stats and honors to achieve the team's glory!"
Lin Qi solemnly opened the wooden box, and a ring set with dazzling diamonds, engraved with the Celtics logo and the words "1999-2000 NBA Champions," shone brightly under the light. The inside was engraved with Eddie's name and "Banner 18."
Boston fans, let's all thank Eddie Jones!
"Thank you! Eddie!" The roar of nearly 20,000 people seemed to shake the entire city.
Lin Qi stepped forward, personally slipped the ring onto Eddie's right ring finger, and whispered, "You deserve this ring. Don't cry, the Boston fans are watching."
Eddie took a deep breath, roughly wiping away his tears with the back of his hand, and took the microphone. His voice choked and trembled. " Boston... thank you. I've spent six years here; this is my second home. I will never forget the cheers here, never forget your support, and never forget... that I was once a Boston Celtics!"
He raised his right hand high, displaying the championship ring, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Thank you, Boston!"
Thank you, Eddie!
The stadium erupted in a deafening roar of cheers.
On the sidelines, on the Celtics ' bench, Pierce clapped enthusiastically with tears in his eyes, Garnett secretly wiped his eyes, Gary Payton proudly gave a thumbs up, and Big Ben clasped his hands together in silent prayer. Artest, Billups, Rasheed, and everyone else were cheering for him.
The Kings ' bench also stood up, and Webber and Lewis went up after the ceremony to give Eddie a big hug.
Amidst the deafening cheers, Eddie turned and walked towards the players' tunnel. In the shadows of the tunnel, he carefully removed the ring and placed it back in its wooden box, closing his eyes to let his turbulent emotions calm down. When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was incredibly resolute. He changed into the Kings ' purple jersey. Tonight, he not only wanted to express his gratitude to Boston, but also to prove to them with his performance that he not only deserved this ring, but also deserved all the respect.