< Back to Front Page Text size – +

A little history

Email|Link|Comments (12) Posted by Gary Dzen, Boston.com Staff June 1, 2008 02:06 PM

Larry Bird (center) and Magic Johnson (left) dueled in the 1987 NBA Finals. (Globe File Photo)

You'll be inundated with tales of Magic, Bird, West, and Russell in the coming days. But for those of you who weren't around during the height of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry, here's a primer to get you started.

The Celtics and Lakers have met 10 times in the NBA Finals, most recently in 1986-87, a series the Lakers won 4-2. The Lakers beat the Celtics one other time in the 80's, 4-3, in 1984-85.

Before that, the Celtics beat the Lakers in their previous eight Finals meetings, with seven of them coming in the 1960's. Bill Russell and Bob Cousy led those Celtics teams, while Jerry West and Elgin Baylor were the stars of the Lakers.

Because it's the most recent, the 1986-87 Finals between the two teams is one of the most remembered. The Lakers finished the season with a 65-17 record, while Boston came into the postseason at 59-23.

With homecourt advantage, the Lakers took Game 1 in LA, 126-113. Los Angeles took a 2-0 lead with a 141-122 victory in Game 2.

The Celtics returned to the Boston Garden and earned a 109-103 victory in Game 3, but Game 4 was the turning point in the series. After Larry Bird's three put the Celtics ahead with 12 seconds remaining, Magic Johnson won the game with his infamous sky hook coming across the lane. The Lakers won the game, 107-106.

The Celtics protected their home court with a win in Game 5, but the Lakers closed out the series in Game 6, 106-93, to earn their fourth championship of the decade.

The two teams have also made quite a bit of history when not facing each other. The Celtics have won 16 championships, most of any NBA franchise. Their last title came in 1985-86.

The Lakers have won 14 titles overall, closing the gap on Boston in the last two decades. Los Angeles has won five championships since the Celtics last won a title, including three in a row from 2000-2002.

If the Celtics need any extra motivation to win this year, late Celtics patriarch Red Auerbach should provide plenty of inspiration. Auerbach won nine titles as a coach, tied for most all-time with current Lakers coach Phil Jackson. Championship No. 17 would taste a little sweeter if the Celtics could deny Jackson another ring.

« Back to Front Page

12 comments so far...

the 1985 seires was 6 games, not 7

Posted by dd June 1, 08 09:17 PM

The Lakers are going to destroy the Celtics. Ray Allen will not show up, especially with kobe defending him and Allen having to the most feared task in the NBA, defending KOBE.

Posted by Rajan Chopra June 1, 08 10:29 PM

Question: Where has Danny Ainge been? Not in the locker room celebration - was he not at Game 6? And not quoted in any article since? Where has he been? And where was KG during the trophy presentation?

Posted by Dan June 1, 08 11:49 PM

Lakers won 4-2 in 1985 and finished it off in the Garden, which was particularly painful.

Posted by Andy June 2, 08 05:55 AM

if we are guaranteed of anything.., its a great nba finals series. im a huge celtics fan, however the deciding factor may be the coaching...and we all know what team has the better coach.

Posted by lenny June 2, 08 02:20 PM

Rajan... Why would Ray Allen cover Kobe? Pierce and Posey are on the team for that, Tony Allen as well. Won't happen. And Allen isn't a guy that they're going to defend one on one and waste Kobe's talents on D. It wouldn't make any sense.

Posted by Jeffery Lebowski June 2, 08 02:34 PM

Lakers have only one option on offense and an incredibly overrated bench. Western Conference teams don't play defense like they do in the East.

Celtics dominated Lakers in the regular season. Celtics will do the same in the finals.

Kobe is NOTHING without Shaq.

Posted by Kobe is OVERRATED June 2, 08 02:52 PM

i'm really looking forward to this series which pits two longtime rivals against each other. however, why is this taking a week to play game one?!

Posted by Jared June 2, 08 08:04 PM

Yes thanks dd and Andy, 1985 was in 6, an LA "W" on the parquet floor.

Out west here the Celtics are favored so it was a surprise to read that back there the Lakers are. The writers must do that to tick us off. It should be a great series.

I just have one question. Why the stupid 2-3-2? To save one plane flight? That always puts the team with the 3 at home at a disadvantage. No one ever wins 3 in a row at home. So even though I am rooting for the purple and gold, I pick the Celtics in 6 or 7 because of the schedule. Have fun Beantown, you're on a roll, BoSox, Celts, even if the Pats did stumble in the SB.

One last thing though, to "Kobe is overrated." The LA bench can bite you. If the Lakers do somehow win, it'll be the bench that does it.

Posted by Doug June 2, 08 08:48 PM

As a fan of this rivalry as long as Ryan, kudos to the Maestro. If he didn't copywright "He took a Dixie" for lax defense on an uncontested layup, or "Huns & Visigoths" for foul worthy infractions in a playoff 4th qtr., he should have.
For all the hype of Kobe v Michael, history ought to record that Hondo was the best there ever was as a TEAM player...Bird included.
History has nothing to do with what happens next, and neither does Phil's chance to supplant Red.
I'll take Doc

Posted by stillwatchingC'sinVT June 3, 08 07:42 PM

What a grand time of the year, esp. this one Cs vs. the Lakers, Sox rolling - pray for Papi! The Boston-LA series is so special. The media focuses naturally on all the big guys, Pierce, KG, Allen, Phil "Hack-one-up" Jackson (oh, how I hate that Knick-Bull-LA guy), Kobe, Pau, but so much credit is due to so many, incl. guys like Leon Powe and House and the other bench guys along with all the coaches. I can picture it now - Leon or Kendrick goes into the crowd to save the ball in a crucial 4th quarter point wiping out the smily-faced, lizard Jack Nicholson. Great games watching Russell and Jones win their last game and go out as World Champs, Hondo, Bird, DJ, Cornbread whipping it on LA, Red turning up the Garden heat....Cs are the greatest. Respect the Lakers for their accomplishments and skills, HATE them as a team and each as a Laker! LA -- better not say it!

Posted by Andy from Ohio June 4, 08 10:33 AM

Kobe is NOT overrated because he has elevated his play since Shaq was traded! The Celtics have the edge in homecourt, starters, and defense; the Lakers have the edge in their bench, better offense & with the coaching. This is to take nothing away from Doc Rivers, an excellent coach in his own right.

I think both teams suffer from taking way too many three-pointers and at times rush their offenses by taking God-awful shots at the worst of times. Free throw shooting has to be good & the fundamentals will be vital. It all comes down to execution. As far as I am concerned, the Lakers' Big Three is Kobe, Gasol, and Derek Fisher, not Lamaar Odom WHO IS overrated. Ray Allen will have to be consistent, but Rajon Rondo has to hit open shots. KG & Rondo must stop passing up open shots as well.

This is a return to classic basketball, when team play is emphasized. This rivalry brings back many wonderful memories of excellent team play as well as in-battle match-ups. This will be a wonderful series and good for the NBA. There is no better rivalry in basketball because these two teams play for the highest of stakes.

Posted by MrManny June 4, 08 04:10 PM