MIAMI — Nearly 19 years have handed since Johnny Damon helped create historical past as a member of the 2004 Red Sox. Now, he’s totally invested as one other Boston workforce tries to make the identical historical past of its personal.
Damon, in fact, was the middle fielder for these ‘04 Sox, who turned the primary workforce in MLB historical past to beat an 0-3 playoff collection deficit as they gained 4 consecutive video games over the rival Yankees after which went on to win the World Series. Naturally, Damon has been wrapped up watching the Celtics, who’re on the cusp of changing into the primary workforce in NBA historical past to realize the identical feat in opposition to the Heat. So a lot so, he needed to see it for himself.
When a chance got here as much as go to Game 6 on Saturday night time in Miami, Damon – who lives in his hometown of Orlando – couldn’t move it up.
“A buddy of mine is a huge Celtics fan, and he’s like, ‘Oh, we gotta go down. You have to bring your (World Series) ring,’” Damon stated on Sunday. “I used to be like, ‘Uh, OK.’ So he had a Citation 10 (jet) able to rock and roll and we went down. …
“We had a great night.”
Sure sufficient, there Damon was on Saturday, courtside on the Kaseya Center and flashing his World Series ring as he witnessed the Celtics win on Derrick White’s miraculous buzzer-beater to drive Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night time in Boston. Damon, who’s a fan of the Orlando Magic, stated the sport additionally gave him a chance to meet up with Charles Barkley, who he performs golf with often, and his former neighbor Shaquille O’Neal, who’re each a part of TNT’s protection.
Johnny Damon exhibiting off the 💍#RedSox #BleedGreen #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/swjFQ2C7Um
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 28, 2023
On Sunday, Damon was nonetheless in disbelief of what he noticed.
“What a great finish,” Damon stated. “I imply, no person knew who the (expletive) gained the sport final night time. And it was like, ‘Uh, did that just happen?’ …
“When Jimmy Butler hit those three free throws, it was like, game’s over. All they had to do was play 2.6 or 2.8 seconds left to finish the game, and the Heat couldn’t do it. Wow.”
The comparisons between the 2004 Red Sox and 2023 Celtics had been straightforward to make after the C’s went down in a 0-3 collection gap. Like the Red Sox, who misplaced 19-8 in Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS, the Celtics suffered a humiliating Game 3 defeat that put them of their seemingly unimaginable state of affairs. The C’s appeared to welcome the comparisons, even when it appeared a bit compelled initially.
“Don’t let us get one,” Marcus Smart stated earlier than Game 4, repeating a well-known line made by the Red Sox’ Kevin Millar earlier than Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS when he stated, “Don’t let us win tonight.”
Three consecutive wins later, and historical past is on the Celtics’ doorstep similar to the Red Sox in 2004. Damon is embracing it.
“We have a chance to have another team in the conversation with our 2004 Red Sox,” Damon stated. “This Celtics team, they were down and out after Game 3, kind of like we were back in 2004, 19 years ago. They figured it out. People were calling them all kinds of names like, ‘Oh, they didn’t fight, they didn’t do this, they didn’t do that,’ but here they are. Game 7.”
Monday night time guarantees to be a wild night time at TD Garden, the place it’s definitely attainable that a number of members of the 2004 Red Sox will likely be in attendance to see the Celtics try and make historical past. Damon, although he teased on Twitter that he needed to make the journey to Boston, stated he’ll be unable to go. It appears doubtless that David Ortiz, who’s been in attendance for a number of Celtics playoff video games in recent times, will likely be there.
“That’d be great,” stated Al Horford, who’s an in depth good friend of Ortiz. “You know, at this point, this is special for Boston and Boston sports.”
The Celtics predict an unbelievable environment on Monday night time. Jayson Tatum stated after Game 6 that he had by no means been extra excited to get again to Boston in his life because the Celtics attempt to turn out to be the primary of 151 groups in NBA historical past to beat an 0-3 gap whereas concurrently advancing to their second consecutive NBA Finals.
As epic and exhilarating as Game 6 was, the Celtics know they haven’t achieved something but.
“We all talked about it,” Tatum stated. “We’re all conscious it’s not time to have a good time. We didn’t accomplish something. We gained a giant sport that we needed to win in unbelievable trend. We’re pleased with the way in which we performed, pleased with the way in which we figured it out.
“But the job is far from finished.”
Damon has been there. His Red Sox completed the job in Game 7 at Yankee Stadium. Damon hit two residence runs, together with a grand slam, because the Sox rolled to a 10-3 victory over the Yankees, then to a sweep of the Cardinals within the World Series and into Boston sports activities lore. The Celtics are hoping to be remembered in the identical method.
“It’s a very cool scenario,” Damon stated. “You know what, hopefully they’ll get the job accomplished so there’s one other workforce within the dialog. But in the event that they don’t, they’re going to must maintain speaking about our workforce and the way nice we had been and the way a lot we needed to overcome and the way a lot we needed to combat, and the way a lot we needed to do our pictures of Jack Daniels and all that great things.
“So, for the Boston fans, they’ve been great to me for a long time and I got nothing against the Heat, but may the best team win (on Monday).”
Source: www.bostonherald.com