🏆 Back-to-back in Boston?

Good Morning, Boston.

🤣 David Ortiz still loves trolling the Yankees. The legendary Red Sox slugger couldn’t resist laughing at his FOX Sports co-hosts Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez on the 20th anniversary of Boston’s Game 4 comeback in the 2004 ALCS. Even if we have to watch the Yankees in the World Series this year, at least we’ll always have that.

What’s on tap today:

• Pats lay an egg in London

• Bill Russell keeps bridging communities 

• Messi quells the Revs

Let’s get into it …

LEADING OFF

Can the Celtics do it again?

The Celtics can become legendary if they repeat this year. Only 13 teams in NBA history have won consecutive titles. Not since 1969, seven years before the birth of the modern NBA, have the Celtics done it. Oddsmakers overwhelmingly think the Celtics will win their second title in a row this year, and their quest to do it begins tomorrow night against the New York Knicks as they officially raise Banner 18 in TD Garden. At this point, can anyone stop the 2024-25 C’s? 

The C’s have all the talent to go back-to-back. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are just entering their primes and were recently voted among the league’s top 20 players. Last year’s championship squad around them, including elite defensive guards Jrue Holiday and Derrick White, is almost completely intact. Their bench group, led by sharpshooter Payton Pritchard, looks like it could hang with most other teams’ starters. Whereas many championship teams that try to run it back are just another year older, these Celtics feel another year better.

But repeating isn’t easy. Going back-to-back is sometimes about luck as much as skill. A costly injury to Kevin Garnett derailed the Celtics’ repeat bid in 2009. Injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson helped stop the Golden State Warriors from three-peating in 2019. This year’s Celtics will already miss human cheat code Kristaps Porzingis for a few months following ankle surgery, which could slow them down. Add in fatigue from two Finals runs in three years — not to mention Tatum, Holiday, and White playing in the Olympics — and nothing is guaranteed. 

The Celtics’ rivals are gunning for them. Several of Boston’s chief Eastern Conference opponents have made major moves to stop their dynasty before it starts:

• The Knicks traded for All-Star center Karl-Anthony Towns to bolster their own deep, physical lineup.

• The 76ers signed All-Star Paul George to pair with Joel Embiid.

• The Bucks beefed up their bench unit to support Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

The Celtics are still better on paper, but the East won’t be a cakewalk.

Only the Celtics can stop themselves. Still, when Boston plays its best, no team can beat them on skill alone. Last year’s team finished with the NBA’s top-ranked offense and its third-stingiest defense in the regular season and lost only three playoff games even with Porzingis sidelined for most of the postseason. Head coach Joe Mazzulla’s eccentric brand of leadership has aimed to keep the Celtics in attack mode, reminding them they’re “not great … yet.” The only way to prove they are? Go back-to-back and silence the critics.

🤔 Will the Celtics repeat as champions?

BOSTON SPORTS

Quick hits & headlines

😬 Pats fold in London. New England just hit a new low, falling to 1-6 after a miserable beatdown in London from the hapless Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars scored 25 unanswered points and bullied the Patriots on the ground behind running back Tank Bigsby (118 yards, two TDs). Drake Maye’s encouraging second start (276 passing yards, two TDs) couldn’t cover up another loss marred by a lack of discipline, execution, and toughness that had players calling each other out after the game and Jerod Mayo calling his team soft. Not good.

🌉 Boston will name a bridge for Bill Russell. Out with the “North Washington Street Bridge,” and in the “William Felton ‘Bill’ Russell Bridge.” The soon-to-be-completed bridge that will connect Charlestown and the North End will bear the name of the 11-time Celtics champion, who was also the first Black head coach in NBA history. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu said Russell deserves the honor even more for his civil rights work than for what he did on the basketball court. That’s the mark of a true giant.

🐐 Lionel Messi’s hat-trick downs the Revolution. Speaking of all-time greats …  the 37-year-old superstar dominated New England on Saturday despite playing less than half of the season-ending match, registering his first hat trick since joining Miami and MLS last year. The first one belongs in the Louvre next to some of his best international goals. Miami finished as the Eastern Conference’s best team (22-8-4) — no surprise — while the Revs finished second from the bottom (9-4-21). At least they got to witness some greatness.

BEYOND BOSTON

Out-of-town report

The Yankees win the AL pennant. Giancarlo Stanton and Juan Soto helped New York blast past the Cleveland Guardians in a surprisingly competitive 4-1 series to reach their 41st World Series in franchise history. Help us, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. You’re our only hope. 

Teams sniffing around Patriots’ Josh Uche. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler spotlighted the Patriots backup pass-rusher as a possible trade candidate ahead of the Nov. 5 trade deadline. If New England’s going to be this bad, sell anything that’s not nailed down in Foxborough. It’s time to embrace the tank and start watching Travis Hunter highlights.

Jets end holdout with star defender Haason Reddick. Maybe if Matthew Judon had Drew Rosenhaus as his agent (like Reddick and former Pats teammate Davon Godchaux did), he would still be a Patriot. Anyway, Reddick will be back just in time to sack Drake Maye when the Jets play New England next week. Get the ice bags ready.

ON THIS DAY | OCTOBER 21, 2007

The Comeback, Part 2

Red Sox steal another ALCS. A 3-1 series deficit with the World Series on the line? Light work for the Sox, especially after ‘04. A rookie Dustin Pedroia (five RBI, one home run) put the team on his back as Boston surged to an 11-2 win in Game 7 of the 2007 ALCS against Cleveland, clinching their second American League pennant in three years. Four games later, the Comeback Kings were World Series champions again.

THE BEST THING I SAW IN SPORTS

Messi’s masterpiece

🔥 The cleanest soccer play you’ll ever see. Honestly, how are you supposed to stop this? The double-lob to set up Messi’s third goal of Inter Miami’s win over the  Revolution felt like a Celtics fastbreak slam. Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap.

🗞 That’s a wrap. I’ll be busting out the soccer ball and the orange cones for some backyard training with my kid.

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