Cora weighs in on C’s struggles, difficulty of repeating as champions originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Before the Celtics, the Red Sox were the last Boston team to embark on a quest to repeat as champions. After a historic 2018 World Series run, they came crashing back to earth in 2019 and failed to reach the postseason.
The 2019 Red Sox won only 84 games — 24 fewer than the previous season — despite running it back with largely the same roster. Although the 2024-25 Celtics earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after another stellar regular season, they’re learning just how difficult it is to win back-to-back titles.
On Wednesday, the Celtics blew a 20-point lead at home for the second straight game in their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks. They’re suddenly in a 2-0 hole a the series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Game 3.
With the devastating Game 2 loss fresh on everyone’s mind Thursday morning, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked about the challenge of repeating as champs.
“I thought about it yesterday when I was going home. It’s very difficult,” Cora said. “I still remember in the cage — I go back to the story, and guys talking about their at-bats. ‘I need my at-bats to get what I wanted.’ Right around there, I think Ozzie Albies signed a contract in ’19. And they were talking about, ‘Oh, this and that — I need to do this to make this.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, shoot, it’s a different mindset.’
“I didn’t want to believe it, you know? I was very outspoken, like, ‘We’re gonna do that again the same way, and it’s gonna happen.’ Although, we switched the lineup. We put (Andrew Benintendi) to lead off and Mookie (Betts) hit second, and tried to make some changes. It didn’t work. But it’s hard, man. It’s hard.
“In that sport, too, just facing the same guys over and over and over again. And you faced it last year. It’s a longer year for some of those guys, too. The Olympics and Team USA. It’s not easy, it’s not easy.”
Fifteen teams in MLB history have come back from 2-0 in a best-of-seven playoff series. It has happened in the NBA 34 times, including 12 series in the last nine postseasons. The 2017 Celtics accomplished the feat in the first round against the Chicago Bulls.
“In the NBA, it can happen,” Cora added. “I don’t want to be an analyst, but I sound like one. They’ve been up 20 twice. So, have they played well? Yeah. They haven’t finished games. So it’s a league of adjustments, and I expect them to do that.”
The Knicks have led for only 12 minutes total in the first two games of the series. The difference is that they have thrived in crunch time while the Celtics have crumbled.
As Celtics star Jaylen Brown emphasized after the Game 2 loss, Boston will need to channel resiliency and toughness to join the exclusive group of teams to dig out of a 2-0 hole. No NBA team has ever come back from being down 3-0.
The Celtics’ must-win Game 3 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday in New York. Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live.
Cora weighs in on C’s struggles, difficulty of repeating as champions
The Celtics trail their series against the Knicks 2-0 after blowing two straight 20-point leads.
Before the Celtics, the Red Sox were the last Boston team to embark on a quest to repeat as champions. After a historic 2018 World Series run, they came crashing back to earth in 2019 and failed to reach the postseason.
The 2019 Red Sox won only 84 games — 24 fewer than the previous season — despite running it back with largely the same roster. Although the 2024-25 Celtics earned the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference after another stellar regular season, they’re learning just how difficult it is to win back-to-back titles.
On Wednesday, the Celtics blew a 20-point lead at home for the second straight game in their Eastern Conference semifinals series against the New York Knicks. They’re suddenly in a 2-0 hole a the series shifts to Madison Square Garden for Game 3.
SIGN UP HERE With the devastating Game 2 loss fresh on everyone’s mind Thursday morning, Red Sox manager Alex Cora was asked about the challenge of repeating as champs.
“I thought about it yesterday when I was going home. It’s very difficult,” Cora said. “I still remember in the cage — I go back to the story, and guys talking about their at-bats. ‘I need my at-bats to get what I wanted.’ Right around there, I think Ozzie Albies signed a contract in ’19. And they were talking about, ‘Oh, this and that — I need to do this to make this.’ I’m like, ‘Oh, shoot, it’s a different mindset.’
“I didn’t want to believe it, you know? I was very outspoken, like, ‘We’re gonna do that again the same way, and it’s gonna happen.’ Although, we switched the lineup. We put (Andrew Benintendi) to lead off and Mookie (Betts) hit second, and tried to make some changes. It didn’t work. But it’s hard, man. It’s hard.
“In that sport, too, just facing the same guys over and over and over again. And you faced it last year. It’s a longer year for some of those guys, too. The Olympics and Team USA. It’s not easy, it’s not easy.”
MORE CELTICS
Fifteen teams in MLB history have come back from 2-0 in a best-of-seven playoff series. It has happened in the NBA 34 times, including 12 series in the last nine postseasons. The 2017 Celtics accomplished the feat in the first round against the Chicago Bulls.
“In the NBA, it can happen,” Cora added. “I don’t want to be an analyst, but I sound like one. They’ve been up 20 twice. So, have they played well? Yeah. They haven’t finished games. So it’s a league of adjustments, and I expect them to do that.”
The Knicks have led for only 12 minutes total in the first two games of the series. The difference is that they have thrived in crunch time while the Celtics have crumbled.
As Celtics star Jaylen Brown emphasized after the Game 2 loss, Boston will need to channel resiliency and toughness to join the exclusive group of teams to dig out of a 2-0 hole. No NBA team has ever come back from being down 3-0.
The Celtics’ must-win Game 3 is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET Saturday in New York. Coverage begins at 2:30 p.m. on NBC Sports Boston with Celtics Pregame Live.
