LATEST UPDATE:This is the Boston legend’s first return trip to the city since his suspension and subsequent team departure.

LATEST UPDATE: This is the Boston legend’s first return trip to the city since his suspension and subsequent team departure.

Ime Udoka will make his first visit back to the Boston Celtics since leaving the team he helped lead to the 2022 NBA Finals on Saturday night at TD Garden when they take on the Houston Rockets.

He had an interview with Marc Spears of Andscape before to his return, in which he spoke candidly about managing his leaving and preserving the bonds he had built with his players in Boston, even though he was unsure of the response he would get.

After moving to Houston, Udoka has led the Rockets to an 18-18 record and an eighth-place finish in the Western Conference, confounding all expectations. They play with a cutting edge, having improved their defence significantly from the previous year, and have made significant progress in the development of both Alperen \engün and Jabari Smith Jr., the latter of whom already projects as a potential All-Star and may perhaps make it this year.

Regarding the hosts of Saturday’s game, the Boston Celtics, 29-9, are now leading the NBA rankings and have a three-game advantage over Giannis Antetokounmpo and company, despite a schedule-induced 135-102 hammering at the hands of the Milwaukee Bucks.

And with a clean injury report as of right now, it seems they will play at full capacity against Houston.

The competition will begin on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. EST. Within There will be Celtics-related material available before to, during, and after the game. For pregame to postgame updates and commentary, follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter.