MIAMI — Almost 19 years have handed since Johnny Damon helped create historic previous as a member of the 2004 Crimson Sox. Now, he’s completely invested as one different Boston workforce tries to make the equivalent historic previous of its private.
Damon, the truth is, was the center fielder for these ‘04 Sox, who turned the first workforce in MLB historic previous to beat an 0-3 playoff assortment deficit as they gained 4 consecutive video video games over the rival Yankees after which went on to win the World Collection. Naturally, Damon has been wrapped up watching the Celtics, who’re on the cusp of turning into the first workforce in NBA historic previous to understand the equivalent feat in opposition to the Warmth. So quite a bit so, he wanted to see it for himself.
When an opportunity bought right here as a lot as go to Recreation 6 on Saturday night time time in Miami, Damon – who lives in his hometown of Orlando – couldn’t transfer it up.
“A buddy of mine is a large Celtics fan, and he’s like, ‘Oh, we gotta go down. It’s important to convey your (World Collection) ring,’” Damon acknowledged on Sunday. “I was like, ‘Uh, OK.’ So he had a Quotation 10 (jet) in a position to rock and roll and we went down. …
“We had an amazing night time.”
Positive adequate, there Damon was on Saturday, courtside on the Kaseya Middle and flashing his World Collection ring as he witnessed the Celtics win on Derrick White’s miraculous buzzer-beater to drive Recreation 7 of the Japanese Convention Finals on Monday night time time in Boston. Damon, who’s a fan of the Orlando Magic, acknowledged the game moreover gave him an opportunity to fulfill up with Charles Barkley, who he performs golf with typically, and his former neighbor Shaquille O’Neal, who’re every part of TNT’s safety.
Johnny Damon exhibiting off the 💍#RedSox #BleedGreen #DirtyWater pic.twitter.com/swjFQ2C7Um
— Celtics on NBC Sports activities Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 28, 2023
On Sunday, Damon was nonetheless in disbelief of what he seen.
“What an amazing end,” Damon acknowledged. “I suggest, no particular person knew who the (expletive) gained the game remaining night time time. And it was like, ‘Uh, did that simply occur?’ …
“When Jimmy Butler hit these three free throws, it was like, sport’s over. All they needed to do was play 2.6 or 2.8 seconds left to complete the sport, and the Warmth couldn’t do it. Wow.”
The comparisons between the 2004 Crimson Sox and 2023 Celtics had been easy to make after the C’s went down in a 0-3 assortment hole. Just like the Crimson Sox, who misplaced 19-8 in Recreation 3 of the 2004 ALCS, the Celtics suffered a humiliating Recreation 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 allow us to get one,” Marcus Sensible acknowledged sooner than Recreation 4, repeating a well known line made by the Crimson Sox’ Kevin Millar sooner than Recreation 4 of the 2004 ALCS when he acknowledged, “Don’t allow us to win tonight.”
Three consecutive wins later, and historic previous is on the Celtics’ doorstep much like the Crimson Sox in 2004. Damon is embracing it.
“We now have an opportunity to have one other workforce within the dialog with our 2004 Crimson Sox,” Damon acknowledged. “This Celtics workforce, they had been down and out after Recreation 3, sort of like we had been again in 2004, 19 years in the past. They figured it out. Individuals had been calling all of them sorts of names like, ‘Oh, they didn’t battle, they didn’t do that, they didn’t try this,’ however right here they’re. Recreation 7.”
Monday night time time ensures to be a wild night time time at TD Backyard, the place it’s undoubtedly attainable that plenty of members of the 2004 Crimson Sox will probably be in attendance to see the Celtics attempt to make historic previous. Damon, though he teased on Twitter that he wanted to make the journey to Boston, acknowledged he’ll be unable to go. It seems likely that David Ortiz, who’s been in attendance for plenty of Celtics playoff video video games in current occasions, will probably be there.
“That’d be nice,” acknowledged Al Horford, who’s an in depth good buddy of Ortiz. “You realize, at this level, that is particular for Boston and Boston sports activities.”
The Celtics predict an unbelievable surroundings on Monday night time time. Jayson Tatum acknowledged after Recreation 6 that he had certainly not been further excited to get once more to Boston in his life as a result of the Celtics try and develop into the first of 151 teams in NBA historic previous to beat an 0-3 hole whereas concurrently advancing to their second consecutive NBA Finals.
As epic and exhilarating as Recreation 6 was, the Celtics know they haven’t achieved one thing however.
“All of us talked about it,” Tatum acknowledged. “We’re all acutely aware it’s not time to have time. We didn’t accomplish one thing. We gained a large sport that we wanted to win in unbelievable development. We’re happy with the way in which by which we carried out, happy with the way in which by which we figured it out.
“However the job is way from completed.”
Damon has been there. His Crimson Sox accomplished the job in Recreation 7 at Yankee Stadium. Damon hit two residence runs, along with a grand slam, as a result of the Sox rolled to a 10-3 victory over the Yankees, then to a sweep of the Cardinals inside the World Collection and into Boston sports activities actions lore. The Celtics are hoping to be remembered within the equivalent technique.
“It’s a really cool state of affairs,” Damon acknowledged. “You realize what, hopefully they’ll get the job achieved so there’s one different workforce inside the dialog. However within the occasion that they don’t, they’re going to should keep talking about our workforce and the way in which good we had been and the way in which quite a bit we wanted to beat and the way in which quite a bit we wanted to fight, and the way in which quite a bit we wanted to do our photos of Jack Daniels and all that nice issues.
“So, for the Boston followers, they’ve been nice to me for a very long time and I bought nothing towards the Warmth, however might the most effective workforce win (on Monday).”