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Red Sox Manager Makes Celtics Playoff Comments

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Charlie Baduini | Last updated May 9, 2025 6:00 PM ET

Boston sports teams can be heavily interconnected, especially regarding rivalries.

The Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, the New England Patriots and the New York football teams, and of course, the 100-plus-year rivalry of the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Currently, the Celtics and Knicks are locked in a heated Eastern Conference semifinals, with the underdog Knicks taking a shocking 2-0 lead, winning both games in Boston, back to New York over the heavily favored Celtics.

Not even Alex Cora, manager of the Red Sox, could escape the current biggest story in town during a recent press conference. He was asked about the Celtics team attempting to be the first repeat NBA champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018.

"(Repeating’s) not easy. But, you know, in the NBA, it can happen." Cora said to Boston Herald Red Sox reporter Gabrielle Starr.

"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…it's a league of adjustments, and I expect them to do that."

Alex Cora on the Celtics:

“(Repeating’s) not easy. But, you know, in the NBA, it can happen.
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. … it's a league of adjustments, and I expect…
— Gabrielle Starr (@gfstarr1) May 8, 2025

Cora knows a thing or two about attempting to repeat. His Red Sox won the World Series in 2018 and tried to follow it up with another in 2019.

Unfortunately, the 2019 Red Sox couldn't even crack the postseason, finishing 84-78, placing third in the AL East.

The Celtics followed up their championship season with a 61-21 record, good for the second seed in the Eastern Conference. It remains to be seen if the C's will be Boston's first repeat champion since the Patriots in 2003 and 2004.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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