How Celtics reacted to receiving 2024 NBA championship rings

How Celtics reacted to receiving 2024 NBA championship rings originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

BOSTON — Donning their championship jackets, the Boston Celtics warmed up to Drake and Future’s “Big Rings” before Tuesday’s season opener. The DJ at TD Garden couldn’t have picked a more fitting song for the occasion.

“This thing’s too big,” C’s head coach Joe Mazzulla said of the 2024 NBA championship ring after his team’s 132-109 win over the New York Knicks. “Why is it so big? I’m never going to wear it. I was more fascinated by the banner.”

After watching an emotional video montage that recapped Boston’s long journey to its 18th title, Mazzulla and his players were introduced one by one to collect their oversized rings. To cap off the ceremony, they raised Banner 18 into the rafters in front of a gleeful Garden crowd.

Finals MVP Jaylen Brown couldn’t hide his excitement upon being presented with his championship ring. Perhaps he too was caught off guard by its size, but he spoke after the Celtics’ victory about the ring symbolizing the ups and downs of his NBA journey.

“That ring is just an object, right? But it’s everything – the emotions, the heartbreak, the embarrassment, the work, the drive, the dedication. Like, that’s what the ring represents,” Brown said. “That’s what was going through my mind, and it was an amazing feeling.”

No one has had a longer journey than veteran big man Al Horford. The 38-year-old finally earned his first NBA title in his 16th season.

Did he, like Brown, experience flashbacks of his career while receiving his ring?

“Um, no,” Horford answered with a laugh. “Honestly, I was just very surprised by the size of that ring. The thing was that I dislocated my finger during the playoffs and it was super swollen, so when I took the measurements, I got it way bigger than it’s supposed to be. So right now, I can’t even wear it because the swelling came down on it, and it’s just huge.

“I just kept talking to KP (Kristaps Porzingis) and the guys like, ‘Man, this thing is just enormous.’ I just kept looking at the size of the ring and the detail on it. They really did a great job.”

“I got…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/celtics-reacted-receiving-2024-nba-035454915.html

Author : NBC Sports Boston

Publish date : 2024-10-23 03:59:00

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