[101], The Celtics signed Shaquille O'Neal for the 2010–2011 season to replace the injured Kendrick Perkins, adding to the rivalry by bringing the Shaq-Kobe feud to the Celtics-Lakers. The Celtics and the Lakers are the two most storied franchises in the NBA, and the rivalry has often been called the greatest in the NBA. chant, sung by fans in opposing arenas whenever a Los Angeles-based team plays in their home venue. [36], The Celtics–Lakers rivalry was renewed in the 1980s, in large part due to the personal rivalry between Bird and Johnson. [105][106], On February 20, 2013, the Lakers played their first game since the death of long time owner Jerry Buss who had died two days earlier, paying tribute to him at the Staples Center before facing off against the Celtics. [21], The Lakers, led by new head coach Butch van Breda Kolff, would actually root for the Celtics to win the series, thinking that Bill Russell would be easier to defeat than 76er Wilt Chamberlain (Chamberlain would become a Laker the following season). [54], The rivalry was also significant because it drew national attention to the faltering NBA. Cooke then came down to personally order the defiant coach to insert Wilt, but to no avail. [19] The Celtics defeated the Philadelphia 76ers to enter the Finals, marked by Johnny Most's famous call of "Havlicek stole the ball! [24] West was named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team,[22] but it was small consolation in a decade where the Lakers went without a championship, every one of their Finals' losses in that decade coming at the hands of the Celtics. The chant originated during Game 7 of the 1982 Eastern Conference Championships at Boston Garden when the Boston fans urged the victorious Philadelphia 76ers to "Beat L.A.! The Celtics rebounded the following year to win the 1986 NBA Finals against the Rockets. The Celtics won Game 1, and the two teams would alternate victories through Game 5. This was the third straight year in which the L.A. Lakers advanced to the NBA Finals. The animosity against Ainge and Boston stemmed from Riley’s days as coach of the Lakers during the two teams’ peak rivalry days in the ’80s. In what was the most-watched college basketball game ever,[35] Michigan State defeated Indiana State 75–64, and Johnson was voted Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. The Lakers or Celtics appeared in the Finals series every year of the decade. [78] O'Neal pulled a Boston reporter over and gestured toward his notepad. Lakers outlast Celtics in Game 7 for NBA title", "NBA Finals Game 7 Averages 28.2 Million Viewers, Highest Since 1998", "Ray Allen hits record-breaking 3-pointer", "Latest chapter of Lakers-Celtics rivalry nears end", "Lakers-Celtics rivalry in its last breath", "Selvy's miss in 1962 finals still stings", "Celtics Seize First NBA Title In 22 Years", "Los Angeles Lakers 1965–66 Roster and Statistics", "Furious comeback gives Celtics 3–1 lead", "Celtics Remain Mindful Of a Missed Opportunity", "Allen shoots lights out to take homecourt from Lakers", "Fisher's offensive heroics the difference for Lakers", "Big Baby, Celtics bench provide spark as Celtics tie Finals", "Bryant, Artest rally Lakers to 16th championship", "Game 7 of Finals pulls in 28.2 million viewers", "Lakers Championship Sets NBA Broadcast Record For Canada", "Everything you could possibly want to know about the NBA Finals", "Kevin Garnett has special shoes just for the Lakers", "Celtics win Finals rematch despite Kobe Bryant's 41 points", The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Celtics–Lakers_rivalry&oldid=999938322, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, First Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Second Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Third Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Fourth Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Fifth Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Seventh Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Lakers achieve league record 33-game winning streak and franchise record 69 wins, Lakers were the eventual Western Conference champions, Eighth Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Ninth Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Tenth Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Both teams did not qualify for the playoffs, Eleventh Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, Twelfth Finals meeting between the Celtics and the Lakers, This page was last edited on 12 January 2021, at 18:29. However, the Lakers would edge out for close victories in Game 2 and Game 3. [22] In a show of good sportsmanship, Bill Russell held West's hand and John Havlicek said: "I love you, Jerry! [123], The Lakers would win Game 5 103–98, despite blowing another large lead, and the series shifted back to Boston. Boston was led by their 'Big Three' of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. The following year they would again both be eliminated by the eventual 2012 NBA Finals participants, the Oklahoma City Thunder and Miami Heat, respectively. Magic had a triple-double with 15 points, 14 assists, and 10 rebounds; Worthy had 28 points on 11 for 15 shooting. Boston Celtics 2. In between, the Celtics won in 1981, 1984 and 1986. [63] Celtics star Reggie Lewis died of a heart attack in his prime in 1993, further marring the team in tragedy since second overall pick Len Bias died of a drug overdose two days after he was drafted in 1986. Minneapolis, led by rookie sensation Elgin Baylor, made the Finals by defeating the defending World Champion St. Louis Hawks. In between, the Celtics won in 1981, 1984 and 1986. Rondo would miss his final 3-pointer and the Lakers won Game 7 against the Celtics for the first time in franchise history, clinching their 16th NBA title.[132]. Prior to 2014, the Lakers only missed the playoffs four times since moving to Los Angeles, and five times in franchise history. Boston triumphed in Game 7, 111-102. The Celtics–Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. [44], The Lakers opened the series with a 115–109 victory at the Boston Garden. [112][113], The Lakers and Celtics would meet the following year in 1963. The rivalry has been less intense since the retirements of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the early 1990s. Magic Johnson had 29 points, 13 assists, and 8 rebounds, while James Worthy had 33 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds. NBA Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Houston Rockets: Celtics win series 4–2 Paul Pierce's nickname, "The Truth", was accorded to him by Shaquille O'Neal after a 112-107 Lakers' victory over the Celtics on March 13, 2001 in which Pierce scored 42 points on 13 of 19 shooting. [99][100], The 2010 series had many memorable moments, including impressive performances from Bryant who led in points for six of the seven games, Ray Allen's Finals' record eight 3-pointers in Game 2, Derek Fisher carrying his team to victory and then crying in Game 3, a hard-fought Game 4 where Glen Davis screamed so loud he drooled while Nate Robinson rode on his back, a dominant Lakers performance in Game 6, and a close Game 7 that became the highest rated NBA game since Michael Jordan's second retirement in Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals. They upset the 76ers in the first round and postponed New York's finals appearance for another year. BRIAN MAHONEY, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. "[24] West was furious at the balloons for providing the Celtics extra motivation. However, the Celtics would close out the series in Game 6 with a dominant 131–92 win. [44] In Game 4, the Lakers had a five-point game lead with less than a minute to play, but made several execution errors as the Celtics tied the game and then came away with a 129–125 victory in overtime. Kobe Bryant exhibited difficulties for much of the game, shooting only 6-for-24 from the field. Under Hall of Fame head coach John Kundla, and with the NBA's first superstar in George Mikan, they would win three more titles in 1952, 1953, and 1954. [53] Despite their on the court rivalry, the two became friends after filming the commercial together. However, Magic Johnson made three shots while Abdul-Jabbar added four more shots, and the Lakers came away with a 120–111 victory to take a 3–2 series lead. It will be the 11th championship meeting between the franchises, with Boston winning eight of its NBA-best 16 titles against the Lakers. Local leaders strike hopeful tone as Biden, Harris take... New documentary shows fight to save historic Blue Moon... Report: Pederson, Seahawks OC candidate, may take 2021 off, Here's how the 2020 housing market compared to 2019. [114], This was the Boston Celtics' eighth consecutive NBA Championship, a feat unrivaled in North American professional sports. [26] The two men did not talk to each other for over 20 years until Russell attempted to patch things up, although he never uttered a genuine apology. "[37], The Showtime Lakers struck the first blow, winning the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. They met again in the 2010 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won in 7 games. [118], This was the Celtics' 17th championship, their first since 1986, extending their record for most NBA championships won by a single team. "[79] In 2002, the Celtics, with Pierce and Antoine Walker, made an impressive run for the Finals and the two teams narrowly missed each other. New Orleans Buccaneers vs. Pittsburgh Pipers; Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics; 1967-68 Reg. [81] Thereafter, O'Neal was traded to the Miami Heat. Here's why, Seattle ranked as second most transient large city: study, Some good news: Seattle's historic Jules Maes Saloon reopens, Fox News Lays Off Digital Employees Amid Reorganization, Looking to buy a home north of Seattle? In the game the Lakers rallied from a 14-point deficit to three points down with one minute remaining, when Maxwell knocked the ball away from Magic Johnson. The Celtics' victory in Game 4 was the largest comeback in the NBA Finals since 1971. [119] The Celtics defeated the Lakers four games to three. Despite having numerous opportunities, the Lakers couldn't get over the hump and Don Nelson would make an incredible foul-line jump-shot which bounced off the back iron and fell in. Despite this, the Celtics upset the Philadelphia 76ers and the New York Knicks and made it to the Finals. [22], The first ever Finals MVP award was given to Jerry West, despite being on the losing team (thus far the only time this has happened). The following year, the Lakers again faced the Knicks in the 1973 NBA Finals and lost. These two teams won a combined six championships during the decade to etch their names into history. Magic said of the games against the Celtics, "when the new schedule would come out each year, I'd grab it and circle the Boston games. After the game, a Laker fan threw a beer at Celtics guard M.L. [98] Both teams fended off late series surges from their opponents, but won their respective series 4–2, setting up a rematch in the 2010 NBA Finals. The Celtics win over the Lakers in 1966 marked an unprecedented eight consecutive championships, the longest streak of any North American professional sports team. [18], This series would also be notable for its future implications in NBA telecasts. Sports Quiz / 80s Celtics Lakers Finals Random Sports or NBA Quiz Can you click on the members of the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers who played in the 1984, 1985 and/or 1987 NBA Finals? In Game 5, the Celtics took a 3–2 series lead as Bird scored 34 points. The Lakers - Celtics duel is one of sport’s most celebrated. https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/5-biggest-rivals-la-lakers-ranked 1985 NBA Finals. A frustrated Bryant criticized the front office following last summer's loss to Phoenix and said he wanted to be traded, but instead the Lakers kept him and upgraded the team around him. Would truly escalate same result a 3–2 series lead with a 124–109 victory [ 30 ] this marked... 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