Boston Celtics and LA Lakers: An NBA rivalry for the ages
Boston Celtics and LA Lakers are arguably two of the most famous teams in the finals" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NBA. Ever since their first Finals meeting in 1959, the rivalry between the two teams has been an enticing one.
Following their victorious 2019-20 campaign, this epic rivalry has taken a new turn. The LA Lakers beat the Miami Heat in a six-game 2020 NBA Finals to tie the Boston Celtics' record of most NBA Championships (17).
On that note, let us take a walk down memory lane to see what makes the Celtics and the Lakers the two most storied franchises in the NBA.
How has the rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers evolved over the years
Before talking about head-to-head match-ups, here is a very interesting historical feat:
With his win with the LA Lakers, Rajon Rondo joined Clyde Lovellette as the only players to have won the NBA Championship with both teams.
1950s
The beginning of the historic rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers
The Boston Celtics and LA Lakers rivalry is one of the greatest in the history of the competition because they’ve met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals. Barring the 1959 Finals when the LA Lakers were swept 4-0, the Boston Celtics haven't had an easy time en route to their eight other titles at the expense of the LA Lakers.
1960s
The Celtics and the Lakers contested six of ten NBA Finals during this period
1960 was the year the Lakers moved to Los Angeles from Minneapolis. The reason they’re called the Lakers is because the city of Minneapolis is known for its lakes. The Lakers did not change their name after this move despite the general scarcity of natural lakes in southern California.
The Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers rivalry grew during this decade. They met six times in the NBA Finals during the 1960s. The Celtics won them all, with the 1962, 1966 and 1969 finals going to Game 7.
A very interesting story from the 1963 Finals match-up is about angry crowds showing up in Los Angeles to buy playoff tickets that were not available. The LA Lakers took care of it by offering closed-circuit TV viewing for $2.50 a head.
"We were aware we were testing the future of pay television", the Lakers GM Lou Mohs told reporters.
The Boston Celtics and the LA Lakers met again in 1965 and 1966. The first of these two finals was a tough one for the Lakers as they were missing Elgin Baylor due to an injury. In the 1966 Finals, the Lakers fought back from a 1-3 deficit to force a Game 7 but couldn't complete the comeback as the Celtics won after recovering from a 16-point deficit entering the fourth quarter.
When the LA Lakers brought on Wilt Chamberlain in 1968, it intensified the rivalry between the player and Bill Russell. While the Lakers posted their best record in the 1968-69 season and the Celtics struggled to make it to the Top 4, the latter upset the 76ers and Knicks en route to the NBA Finals. Despite an intense rivalry, Bill and Chamberlain remained good friends but saw their relationship deteriorate during the 1969 Finals.