The time David Ortiz bailed out Al Horford on his wedding day

As David Ortiz commences his final postseason run with the Boston Red Sox, Al Horford begins his first season with the Celtics. The two natives of the Dominican Republic go further back than that, however.

The pair first met at a 2008 Celtics playoff game, when Horford was a rookie with the Atlanta Hawks and Ortiz was fresh off his second World Series title with the Sox. But, according to Sports Illustrated's Andrew Sharp, it wasn't until a few years later that Horford learned the true extent of Ortiz's generosity.

On Christmas Eve 2011, just as the NBA lockout ended, Horford was scheduled to get married in the Dominican. One problem: There was no limousine to pick up his bride to take her to the ceremony.

"We're down there, and I realize I’m supposed to get a limo to pick her up," Horford said. "And then, obviously being in the Dominican Republic, things never go how they’re supposed to. So three hours before the wedding, we find out that there's no limo. I literally freaked out. Nothing's open, I don't know what’s going to happen."

This is where knowing a guy who goes by the nickname "Big Papi" tends to come in handy. Horford called Ortiz, who like Winston Wolf in "Pulp Fiction" set into action a quick solution.

Within 30 minutes, the slugger had sent his Rolls-Royce Phantom to Horford - even though Ortiz wasn't even on the island.

"You know, that's a very expensive car," Horford said. "But he tells me to keep it until I leave. So we're there for a couple more days, and we have the car the whole time. It’s just one of those things, it shows he has a really big heart."

As Ortiz retires as one of the all-time Dominican greats and among the most popular players in Red Sox history, the 30-year-old Horford hopes to help restore some glory to the Celts. He also holds close to his heart an observation Ortiz made to him when they met.

"He told me, 'A Dominican in the NBA is a little rare.'"