query: when did the lakers play the celtics in the finals

pos: Celtics–Lakers rivalry of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the early 1990s, but in when the two teams met in the Finals for the first time since , with the Celtics winning the series 4–2. They met again in the 2010 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won in 7 games. The rivalry was renewed again on July 1, 2018 when LeBron James signed with the Lakers and when his former teammate Kyrie Irving was traded to the Celtics the previous year. The two had played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during 2014–17 and won a championship together in 2016. Additionally, former Celtics star

pos: Kevin Garnett the Celtics elevated their play and consistently, and dominated opponents much as they did during their 2008 championship run. They eliminated the Miami Heat, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Orlando Magic to advance to face the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals. The 2010 Finals went to a decisive seventh game in Los Angeles, where the Celtics led well into the third quarter before the Lakers mounted a comeback and held on for the victory. In the 2010–11 NBA season, Garnett and the Celtics started strong, winning 23 of their first 26 games. On December 30, 2010, Garnett injured his

pos: Celtics–Lakers rivalry of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson in the early 1990s, but in when the two teams met in the Finals for the first time since , with the Celtics winning the series 4–2. They met again in the 2010 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won in 7 games. The rivalry was renewed again on July 1, 2018 when LeBron James signed with the Lakers and when his former teammate Kyrie Irving was traded to the Celtics the previous year. The two had played for the Cleveland Cavaliers during 2014–17 and won a championship together in 2016. Additionally, former Celtics star

pos: Derek Fisher point of his NBA career against the Memphis Grizzlies. On June 8, 2010, in Game 3 of the NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics, Fisher played a pivotal role down the stretch to help the Lakers take a 2–1 series lead. In the 4th quarter, he scored 11 of his 16 points, including a 3-point-play lay-up that helped the Lakers wrap up a 91–84 road victory. In Game 7, the Lakers came all the way back from a 13-point 3rd-quarter deficit when Fisher hit a critical 3-pointer to tie the game with 6:11 remaining. The Lakers ultimately defeated the Celtics

pos: 2008 NBA Finals the Eastern Conference Semifinals. The Lakers rebounded to win 65 games in the aforementioned season, then proceeded to win the NBA title in five games over the Magic. Even though another mid-season injury to Andrew Bynum threatened their title drive, he did come back late in the season. The Lakers became the first team since the 1988–89 Pistons to win the NBA Finals after losing it in the previous year. Both teams would eventually meet again in 2010 where the Lakers defeated the Celtics in seven games. The Celtics' 17th championship raised the total of major professional sports championships in

pos: Los Angeles Lakers and Lakers met in the Finals for the first time since 1987, with the Celtics winning the series 4–2. They faced off once again in the 2010 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won in 7 games. The two teams have won the two highest numbers of championships, the Celtics 17, the Lakers 16; together, the 33 championships account for almost half of the 67 championships in NBA history. The rivalry between the Lakers and the Detroit Pistons developed in the late 1980s. Both teams faced each other in back-to-back finals appearances in the 1988 NBA Finals, which the Lakers won

pos: Boston Celtics six times in the 1960s, three times in the 1980s, in 2008, and in 2010. The rivalry had been less intense since the retirements of Magic Johnson and Larry Bird in the early 1990s, but in 2008 it was renewed as the Celtics and Lakers met in the Finals for the first time since 1987, with the Celtics winning the series in six games. They faced off once again in the 2010 NBA Finals which the Lakers won in seven games. The two teams have won the two highest numbers of championships, the Celtics 17, the Lakers 16; together, the

pos: Amway Arena the Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. The final NBA game at Amway Arena was Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics on May 26, 2010; the Magic won the game, telecast on ESPN on ABC. The Celtics would then win Game 6 in Boston, advancing to face the Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals. Other sporting events include the 1992 United States Figure Skating Championships and the IHL Finals in 1996, 1999 and 2001, when the Orlando Solar Bears won the Turner Cup in the IHL's last season of operations. During the 1993–94 NHL season,

pos: Sasha Vujačić to the NBA Finals to face the Orlando Magic. The Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic in the 2009 NBA Finals in a 4-1 series, earning Vujacic his first NBA championship. In Game 6 of the 2010 NBA Finals, Vujačić led the Lakers' bench with 9 points, including two three-pointers. With 11 seconds left in Game 7 and the Lakers leading by only two points, Vujačić helped made two crucial free throws that sealed the Lakers' victory over the Celtics in a Game 7 for the first time in the longstanding Lakers-Celtics rivalry. On December 15, 2010, Vujačić was traded to

pos: 2018–19 Los Angeles Lakers season and leading them to the NBA Finals 4 other times (2007, 2015, 2017, and 2018). This marked his second time leaving the Cavs, after controversially doing so in 2010 to join the Miami Heat, where he led the team to 4 NBA Finals appearances and winning back-to-back in 2012 and 2013. The signing also renewed the Celtics–Lakers rivalry, as his former Cavs teammate Kyrie Irving was traded to the Boston Celtics the year before and former Celtics star Rajon Rondo joined LeBron in Los Angeles. 2018–19 Los Angeles Lakers season The 2018–19 Los Angeles Lakers season is the franchise's 71st

neg: 1962 NBA Finals Instead, the game went into OT in which the Celtics then won the game and thus the title. For the Lakers, it would start the pattern of not winning the big games in the NBA Finals, something that lasted until 1972 when the Lakers finally won their first title in Los Angeles. The Lakers would not defeat the Celtics in the NBA Finals until 1985, which they did on the Celtics' home floor; they lost to the Boston Celtics in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969, 1984 and 2008. After the 1985 Finals, the Lakers would beat the Celtics in the

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry of an era for the Celtics. They did not reach the Finals again until 2008. The Lakers, meanwhile, went on to win the 1988 NBA Finals against the Detroit Pistons, before losing to the Pistons the following year in 1989, and win titles again in 2000, 2001 and 2002, all while the Celtics wallowed in mediocrity. Several journalists hypothesized that the Johnson–Bird rivalry was so appealing because it represented many other contrasts, such as the clash between the Lakers and Celtics, between Hollywood flashiness ("Lakers Showtime") and Boston/Indiana blue collar grit ("Celtic Pride"), and between blacks and whites. A 1984

neg: 2008 NBA Finals for good. The Celtics' victory in Game 4 was the largest comeback in the NBA Finals since . The Celtics bench outscored the Lakers bench 35–15, 29 of those points coming from House and James Posey. Kevin Garnett finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds in support of Allen (19) and Pierce (20). As in Game 4, the Lakers jumped out to an early lead, leading 43–24 with 11 minutes to play in the second quarter. And as in Game 4, the Celtics came back, taking a 62–60 lead behind the strong play of Paul Pierce. The Lakers finally regained

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry "Take this down", said O'Neal. "My name is Shaquille O'Neal and Paul Pierce is the [expletive] truth. Quote me on that and don't take nothing out. I knew he could play, but I didn't know he could play like this. Paul Pierce is the truth." In 2002, the Celtics, with Pierce and Antoine Walker, made an impressive run for the Finals and the two teams narrowly missed each other. However, the Celtics eventually fell in six games to the New Jersey Nets in that year's Eastern Conference Finals. The Lakers returned to the Finals in 2004 but lost at the

neg: Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies is a 2017 documentary film about the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. The documentary specifically focuses on the teams' dominant performances during the 1980s, when the teams combined for eight titles and 13 NBA Finals appearances. This domination included three head-to-head meetings in the NBA Finals (Lakers won two in 1985 and 1987 and Celtics won one in 1984). The film was directed by Jim Podhoretz and executive produced by Jonathan Hock. It premiered on June 13, 2017 on ESPN

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry 76ers to enter the Finals, marked by Johnny Most's famous call of "Havlicek stole the ball!" Unlike their previous two encounters, the Celtics dominated the Lakers, who were playing without an injured Elgin Baylor, and only Game 2 had a close score. The Celtics would win the series in Game 5 with a 129–96 victory over the Lakers. This was the largest margin of victory in a deciding Finals game, and would not be broken until 2008, when the Celtics defeated the Lakers once again by a score of 131–92. This was the Boston Celtics' eighth consecutive NBA Championship, a

neg: History of the Boston Celtics believed momentum in the series had shifted the Lakers' way. However, the Celtics did not give up. Led by a bench that outscored the Lakers bench by 20 points, they fought back. The Celtics locked up their defense and took over Game 4 with a crushing 97–91 victory, the biggest comeback in NBA Finals history. Although the Lakers took Game 5, 103–98, the series went back to Boston for Game 6, and the Celtics finished it off with a dominating 131–92 victory. This game would mark the largest margin of victory for a clinching finals game in NBA history. The

neg: Gene Conley a Celtics team that went 45-26 in the regular season under Red Auerbach. Conley did not play in the Celtics' two playoff series that season, with the team losing 3-1 in the Eastern Division finals to the New York Knicks. After a five-year hiatus to focus on baseball with the Milwaukee Braves, Conley returned to the Celtics for the 1958-59 season, again seeing limited usage at about 13 minutes a game for a team that swept the Minneapolis Lakers 4-0 in the NBA finals. Conley averaged 4.2 points and 5.4 rebounds during the regular season and 4.9 points and 6.8

neg: 1984–85 Boston Celtics season when playing for Boston 1984–85 Boston Celtics season The 1984–85 Boston Celtics season was the 39th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics entered the season as the defending NBA Champions, coming off an NBA Finals victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games, and increasing their NBA Finals victories over the Lakers to 8. On March 3, 1985, Kevin McHale surpassed Larry Bird's Celtics single game scoring record when he netted 56 points against the Detroit Pistons. Less than two weeks later, on March 12, Bird answered, scoring a career-high 60 points

neg: Bill Russell strong play, averaging 16.7 points per game and 23.0 rebounds per game in the regular season. The Celtics broke a league record by winning 52 games, and Russell's strong performance once again helped lead the Celtics through the post-season, as they returned to the NBA Finals. In the 1959 NBA Finals, the Celtics recaptured the NBA title, sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers 4–0. Lakers head coach John Kundla praised Russell, stating, "We don't fear the Celtics without Bill Russell. Take him out and we can beat them ... He's the guy who whipped us psychologically." In the 1959–60 season, the NBA

neg: Boston Celtics of the Eastern Conference Finals, winning two road games. In the 2008 NBA Finals, the Celtics faced MVP Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers for the 11th time, the first time since 1987. The Celtics won Game 1 at home 98–88, fueled by strong play by Garnett and Pierce's dramatic comeback from a second half knee injury. They also won Game 2 108–102, despite nearly blowing a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter. As the series shifted to Los Angeles, the Lakers stifled Pierce and Garnett in Game 3 and won 87–81. However, the Celtics would overcome a 24-point

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry Celtics–Lakers rivalry The Celtics–Lakers rivalry is a National Basketball Association (NBA) rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Celtics and the Lakers are the two most storied franchises in the NBA, and the rivalry has been called the best in the NBA. The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first Finals meeting in . They would both go on to dominate the league in the 1960s and 1980s, facing each other six times in the 1960s, three times in the 1980s, and

neg: 2007–08 Los Angeles Lakers season the NBA Finals since 2004. In the NBA Finals, the Lakers faced off against their rivals, the Boston Celtics, renewing their storied rivalry, and marking the first time the two teams faced off against each other in the NBA Finals since 1987. However, the Lakers would lose against the Celtics in the NBA Finals in six games, ending with a blowout defeat to the Celtics in Game 6 by 39 points, losing 92–131, and marking the Lakers' ninth defeat to the Celtics in the NBA Finals. Following the 2006–07 NBA season, their offseason was marred with surgeries to their two

neg: 1969 NBA Playoffs Division Semifinals (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) San Francisco Warriors: "Lakers win series 4-2" (2) Atlanta Hawks vs. (4) San Diego Rockets: "Hawks win series 4-2" Division Finals (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (2) Atlanta Hawks: "Lakers win series 4-1" Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Baltimore Bullets vs. (3) New York Knicks: "Knicks win series 4-0" (2) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (4) Boston Celtics: "Celtics win series 4-1" Division Finals (3) New York Knicks vs. (4) Boston Celtics: "Celtics win series 4-2" (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (4) Boston Celtics: "Celtics win series 4-3" In Game 7, Don Nelson

neg: 1966 NBA Playoffs first-round byes. Champion: Los Angeles Lakers Division Semifinals (1) Los Angeles Lakers have division semifinals byes. (2) Baltimore Bullets vs. (3) St. Louis Hawks: "Hawks win series 3-0" Division Finals (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) St. Louis Hawks: "Lakers win series 4-3" Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Philadelphia 76ers have division semifinals byes. (2) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Cincinnati Royals: "Celtics win series 3-2" Division Finals (1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics: "Celtics win series 4-1" (2) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers: "Celtics win series 4-3" 1966 NBA Playoffs The 1966 NBA Playoffs was the

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry would emerge behind early NBA star Bob Cousy by winning the 1957 NBA Finals and losing in 1958. The first NBA Finals match-up between the two teams was in 1959 when on April 9, the Boston Celtics swept the Minneapolis Lakers 4-0 for the first sweep in the history of the NBA Finals. This would mark the first Finals loss for the previously dominant Lakers, and the first of eight straight titles for Boston. The Lakers relocated to Los Angeles in 1960. It was after this move, and during this decade, that the rivalry would truly escalate. The two teams

neg: 1969 NBA Finals Then, Celtics sixth man Don Nelson scored 12 points in the third quarter, while the Lakers hardly connected on a quarter of their field goal attempts: the Celtics led 91–76 after the third. Early in the fourth quarter, Chamberlain incurred his fifth foul (he had never fouled out of a game in his career) and had to play more tentative defense. Then, with just over 5 minutes remaining and the Lakers trailing 103-96, Chamberlain landed awkwardly when grabbing a rebound and came to the bench with an injured knee. Behind backup center Mel Counts, the Lakers cut the lead to

neg: Sam Cassell en route to the NBA Finals. The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4–2, with the Celtics bench out-scoring the Lakers' in five of the six games. The win gave Cassell his third championship, which would also be the last game he played. During the 2008–09 season, Cassell served as an unofficial assistant to head coach Doc Rivers; though he did not play in any games, he was still officially listed as an active player. On February 17, 2009, Cassell was traded to the Sacramento Kings for a conditional second-round draft pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. The move was done strictly

neg: 1971–72 Los Angeles Lakers season did it in 1986. Since moving to Los Angeles, the Lakers were repeatedly foiled by the Boston Celtics in their attempts to capture an NBA title. The Lakers lost the championship to them six times in eight years. In 1970, with the aging Celtics out of title contention, the Lakers lost in the NBA finals to the New York Knicks. In 1971, after losing Jerry West to a season-ending injury in February, they lost in the Western Conference finals to the powerful Milwaukee Bucks. Going into the 1971–72 season, many experts thought the chance at a championship had passed for

neg: 1974 NBA Finals injured and did not play in the series. The Bucks eliminated the Los Angeles Lakers and the Chicago Bulls in five and four games, respectively, to advance to the Finals. The Boston Celtics won a franchise record 68 games in the 1972–73 season, but a shoulder injury to John Havlicek quashed their title hopes, as they lost in seven games to the New York Knicks in the conference finals. Havlicek returned healthier for the 1973–74 season, and with Dave Cowens, Paul Silas and Jo Jo White entering the prime of their careers, the Celtics appeared poised for another title run.

neg: Tom Thacker (basketball) draft, but he decided to retire and did not play that season. On August 4, 1967, he returned to the NBA and was signed as a free agent by the Boston Celtics. It turned out to be a fortuitous trade for Thacker. Averaging about 12 minutes per game and 4.2 points and 2.5 rebounds per game, he earned a championship ring as the Celtics won the NBA title in a six-game finals series over the Los Angeles Lakers. He also posted a career single-game high of 17 points twice, on February 11, 1968 against the Lakers and again on March

neg: 1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season defeated the Golden State Warriors in five games in the Semifinals, and swept the Seattle SuperSonics in four games in the Conference Finals. The highlight of the season saw the Lakers winning the NBA Finals, and their tenth NBA title over the defending NBA champions and rivals, the Boston Celtics, in six games. This marked the third and final time the Lakers and Celtics faced off against each other in the NBA Finals in the 1980s, as well as the last time the Lakers and Celtics faced off against each other in the NBA Finals until 2008, where the Celtics

neg: 2008 NBA Finals played in the NBA finals. The Lakers appeared in the Finals for the first time since and a record 29th time overall. The Celtics appeared in the Finals for the first time since and second-best 20th time overall. Going into the series, the Celtics had won the most championships of all-time with 16, and the Lakers were second with 14. The two clubs, the most successful teams in NBA history, looked to renew a longstanding rivalry 21 years after their last Finals meeting in 1987. They narrowly missed meeting each other in 2002, when the Lakers advanced to the Finals,

neg: 1988 NBA Playoffs 1988 NBA Playoffs The 1988 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1987–88 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons 4 games to 3 in the NBA Finals. James Worthy was named NBA Finals MVP. The Lakers became the first team since the Boston Celtics in 1969 to repeat as champions, a feat that coach Pat Riley guaranteed the previous offseason. This marked the first time since 1983 that the Celtics did not represent the East in the NBA Finals, but they did win

neg: 2010 NBA Finals points, despite the Celtics only getting to the free-throw line six times. Pierce's three-pointer pushed the Celtics' lead to double digits, 50–39, early in the third quarter, but the Lakers chipped away at that lead to bring it down to 8, as the Celtics went into the fourth quarter attempting to maintain a 73–65 advantage. With the Celtics leading by 12 with less than three minutes to play, seven straight free throws by the Lakers cut the lead to 87–82 with a little over 40 seconds in the game. On an inbounds play, Garnett lobbed the ball to Pierce, who,

neg: 1984–85 Boston Celtics season 1984–85 Boston Celtics season The 1984–85 Boston Celtics season was the 39th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics entered the season as the defending NBA Champions, coming off an NBA Finals victory over the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games, and increasing their NBA Finals victories over the Lakers to 8. On March 3, 1985, Kevin McHale surpassed Larry Bird's Celtics single game scoring record when he netted 56 points against the Detroit Pistons. Less than two weeks later, on March 12, Bird answered, scoring a career-high 60 points against the Atlanta Hawks.

neg: 1969 NBA Finals it counted most. In anticipation of a Lakers win, Lakers owner Jack Kent Cooke had ordered thousands of balloons with "World Champion Lakers" printed on them suspended from the rafters of the Forum. Flyers were placed in every seat stating, "When, not if, the Lakers win the title, balloons will be released from the rafters, the USC marching band will play "Happy Days Are Here Again" and broadcaster Chick Hearn will interview Elgin Baylor, Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain in that order." Before the game, the Celtics circulated in their locker room a memo about the Lakers' celebration plans. When

neg: Julius Erving Celtics and the storied Celtics–76ers rivalry; these two teams faced each other in the Eastern Conference Finals in 1980, 1981, 1982, and 1985. The Bird vs. Dr. J matchup became arguably the top personal rivalry in the sport (along with Bird vs. Magic Johnson), inspiring the early Electronic Arts video game "". In 1980, the 76ers prevailed over the Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers. There, Erving executed the legendary "Baseline Move", a behind-the-board reverse layup. However, the Lakers won 4–2 with superb play from, among others, Magic Johnson. Erving again was among the

neg: 2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season 2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season The 2008–09 Los Angeles Lakers season was the franchise's 61st season, 60th in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and 49th in Los Angeles. The Lakers entered the season as runner-ups of the 2008 NBA Finals, coming from a crushing defeat to their rivals, the Boston Celtics, in six games, where in Game 6, the Lakers were blown out by the Celtics by 39 points, marking their ninth defeat to the Celtics in the NBA Finals. The Lakers won their division for the 31st time and appeared in the Western Conference Finals for the 39th time.

neg: 1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season defeating the Denver Nuggets in five games in the Conference Finals to advance to the NBA Finals for the fifth time in the 1980s, facing off against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics in a rematch of last season's NBA Finals. This time, however, the Lakers were able to return to their championship ways and win their ninth NBA championship, avenging their NBA Finals loss and getting revenge on the Celtics, defeating them in six games, and marking the first time the Lakers had defeated the Celtics in the NBA Finals. The Lakers also became the only team to have

neg: 1984–85 Boston Celtics season the Lakers in the NBA Finals. This also marked the only time the Celtics lost the NBA Finals at home. A majority of this team moved onto coaching later in their careers. Kevin McHale, Rick Carlisle, Larry Bird, Danny Ainge, Dennis Johnson, and Sam Vincent have all coached in the NBA. (1) Boston Celtics vs. (8) Cleveland Cavaliers: "Celtics win series 3-1" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Detroit Pistons: "Celtics win series 4-2" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: "Celtics win series 4-1" (E1) Boston Celtics vs. (W1) Los Angeles Lakers "Lakers win series 4-2" <nowiki>*</nowiki> – Recorded statistics

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry to the Finals. The Lakers had home court advantage for the first time and won the first two games, but the Celtics rebounded to force and win a dramatic Game 7 at the Los Angeles Forum, defying Laker's owner Jack Kent Cooke's infamous prediction of a Lakers celebration. West was named Finals MVP despite being on the losing team, 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 1969 Finals also caused a deterioration in the relationship

neg: 1983–84 Boston Celtics season In the game the Lakers rallied from a 14-point-deficit to three with one minute remaining when Cedric Maxwell knocked the ball away from Magic Johnson. Dennis Johnson responded by sinking two free throws to seal the victory. Larry Bird was named MVP of the series. The series was the eighth time in NBA history that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA finals, with Boston winning each time. 1983–84 Boston Celtics season The 1983–84 Boston Celtics were champions of the National Basketball Association (NBA) led by regular season and finals MVP Larry Bird. In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers number one seed in the Western Conference for the first time since the 1999–2000 NBA season. Bryant was also named the 2007–2008 NBA Most Valuable Player. Entering the post-season, the Lakers would post a 12–3 record entering the Finals. However, problems suddenly arose when the Lakers faced the Boston Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals. The Celtics, the best-record team during the regular season, convincingly beat the Lakers 4–2 in the best of 7 series. In the 2009 season, the Lakers had only one goal in mind: "ring", their huddle chant throughout the year. In January, the Lakers would again

neg: Magic Johnson season, Johnson averaged 18.3 points, 12.6 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game and led the Lakers into the 1985 NBA Finals, where they faced the Celtics again. The series started poorly for the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148 points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1. However, Abdul-Jabbar, who was now 38 years old, scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in Game 2, and his 36 points in a Game 5 win were instrumental in establishing a 3–2 lead for Los Angeles. After the Lakers defeated the Celtics in six games, Abdul-Jabbar

neg: 2009–10 Boston Celtics season for the twenty-first time in franchise history. The Celtics made it back to the NBA Finals after a one-year hiatus and played against the defending NBA champion and their rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. In a rematch of the 2008 NBA Finals, in which the Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games to capture their seventeenth championship, the Celtics were defeated this time by the Lakers in seven games. 2009–10 Boston Celtics season The 2009–10 Boston Celtics season was the 64th season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Celtics finished with a record of 50–32,

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry to the top of the NBA in the 2007–2008 season by posting the best record in the league and reaching the Finals. The Lakers also returned to the Finals with the help of the mid-season acquisition of Pau Gasol, and the two teams finally met again in the 2008 NBA Finals. The Celtics won in six games with an impressive come-from-behind victory in Game 4 and a blow-out of the Lakers in Game 6. The next season, the Lakers and Celtics played a regular season game on Christmas Day. The Lakers won that game, making Phil Jackson the fastest coach

neg: 2008 NBA Finals but the Celtics, who led 2–1 in the Conference Finals, eventually fell to the favored New Jersey Nets 4–2. This was the 11th time the teams met in the championship round; the Celtics won eight of their previous ten Finals meetings against the Lakers, winning in , , , , , , and —the Lakers won in and . The Celtics' 66–16 record gave them home court advantage over Los Angeles (57–25). This was the first time since , when the Chicago Bulls beat the Utah Jazz for the championship, and the only time in the 2000s decade that an

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry NBA Finals. This marked the first of Boston's record eight straight titles. This was the first NBA Finals series between the Lakers and Celtics after the Lakers moved to Los Angeles. Boston would win game one. However, the Lakers would edge out for close victories in Game 2 and Game 3. The Celtics would win Game 4 before the Lakers would come back and win another close victory in Game 5. In the Game 5 victory, Baylor grabbed 22 rebounds and set the still-standing NBA record for points in a finals game with 61, despite fouling out of the game.

neg: 2010 NBA Finals the Lakers 13–2 over nearly half the quarter. The Celtics held an 11-point lead with 3:57 remaining, but the Lakers mounted a late comeback bid behind Bryant, who posted 10 of the final 12 points for Los Angeles. Three free throws with 1:08 remaining pulled the Lakers within 92–86, and they had an opportunity to get closer in the final minute; however, a Bryant pass was stolen by Rondo, who subsequently made a layup to extend the Celtics' lead. Pierce led Boston with 19 points in the game. The Celtics benefitted from strong bench play, as their reserves doubled the

neg: 1960 NBA Playoffs Lakers: "Lakers win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Western Division Semifinals (Minneapolis won 2-1) Division Finals (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (3) Minneapolis Lakers: "Hawks win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Western Division Finals (Minneapolis won 4-2) Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals bye. (2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Warriors win series 2-1" Last Playoff Meeting: 1958 NBA Eastern Division Semifinals (Philadelphia won 2-1) Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Philadelphia Warriors: "Celtics win series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 NBA Eastern Division Finals (Boston won 4-0) (1)

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry Russell attempted to patch things up, although he never uttered a genuine apology. When Chamberlain died in 1999, Chamberlain's nephew stated that Russell was the second person he was ordered to break the news to. The Celtics and Lakers both found success in the 1970s, but there would be no rematch between the two teams. The start of the decade saw the Lakers' woes in the NBA Finals continue, with a loss to the New York Knicks in 1970. However, the Lakers rebounded two years later to win the 1972 NBA Finals and their first championship in Los Angeles, also

neg: 1959 NBA Playoffs series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1957 NBA Western Division Finals (St. Louis won 3-0) Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals bye. (2) New York Knicks vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Nationals win series 2-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1952 NBA Eastern Division Finals (New York won 3-1) Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1957 NBA Eastern Division Finals (Boston won 3-0) (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Minneapolis Lakers: "Celtics win series 4-0" Last Playoff Meeting: This is the first meeting between the Celtics and Lakers. 1959 NBA

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry the Lakers mounted a furious rally in the closing moments which fell just short. The Celtics fended off the late Los Angeles rally to capture the NBA title and send Red Auerbach out a champion. After they both missed the NBA Finals in 1967, the Lakers and the Celtics would meet again in 1968. Boston's streak of 10 consecutive Finals appearances had been snapped in 1967 by the 76ers. The 1968 Eastern Division Finals rematch between the Celtics and the 76ers was marred by the recent assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., but the decision was made not to delay

neg: 2008 NBA Finals scored over 13 points, with 25. The Lakers jumped out to a 35–14 lead after the first quarter, which was the largest first-quarter lead in NBA Finals history. The Lakers held their ground for most of the third quarter, leading by as many as 24 points. However, the Celtics went on a 21–3 run to end the third quarter, closing the deficit to only two points (73–71). With 4:07 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Celtics took their first lead in the game when Celtics' reserve Eddie House made an jumper. With House's shot, the Celtics were in the lead

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry angry crowds showed up in Los Angeles to buy playoff tickets that were not available, the Lakers quieted the crowd by offering closed circuit TV viewing for $2.50 a head. "We were aware we were testing the future of pay television", Lakers general manager Lou Mohs told reporters. The Celtics would make their ninth straight appearance in the NBA Finals and face the Lakers for the fourth time. Celtics founder Walter A. Brown died during the season, and Red Auerbach led the team back to the Finals with his first Coach of the Year award. The Celtics defeated the Philadelphia

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry care about anything else." The Showtime Lakers struck the first blow, winning the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. The following year, behind the "Big Three" of future Hall of Famers Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish, the Celtics won the 1981 NBA Finals against the Houston Rockets. The Celtics lost the 1982 Eastern Conference Finals to the 76ers, and along with it the possibility of a rematch with the Lakers. However, the final game of that series is memorable to the rivalry because Boston fans chanted for the 76ers, who were just about to eliminate their Celtics,

neg: History of the Boston Celtics K.C. Jones that year, the Celtics began a dynasty that would last for more than a decade. In 1959, with Cousy at point guard, Russell at center and Heinsohn at forward, the Celtics won the NBA Championship after sweeping the Minneapolis Lakers. Still coached by Auerbach, the Celtics won seven more consecutive championships, extending their streak to eight in a row. During that timespan, the Celtics met the Lakers in the Finals six times, starting an intense and often bitter rivalry. The Celtics would eventually meet the Lakers a total of 11 times in the NBA Finals. In 1964, Auerbach

neg: Los Angeles Lakers Angeles's record to 0–8 in Finals series against the Celtics. Using the past year's Finals defeat as motivation, the team won the Pacific Division for the fourth straight year and lost just two games in the Western Conference playoffs. In the NBA Finals, the Celtics were again the Lakers' final hurdle. Los Angeles lost game one of the NBA Finals by a score of 148–114, in what is remembered as the "Memorial Day Massacre". The Lakers, behind 38-year-old Finals MVP Abdul-Jabbar, recovered to defeat the Celtics in six games. The team won the title in the Boston Garden, becoming the

neg: 1984 NBA Finals with high expectations. Bird, who was selected 6th in the 1978 NBA draft but committed back to Indiana State for his senior season, was named Rookie of the Year after leading the Celtics to a 32-game turnaround from the previous year, going from 29 to 61 wins. The expected Celtics–Lakers finals, however, never happened. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Celtics in the conference finals before losing to the Lakers in the 1980 NBA Finals, with Johnson earning Finals MVP honors for his Game 6 performance. Since then Bird won a championship in 1981, then Magic led the Lakers to the

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry for good, winning 97–91. The Celtics' victory in Game 4 was the largest comeback in the NBA Finals since 1971. The Lakers would win Game 5 103–98, despite blowing another large lead, and the series shifted back to Boston. However, the Celtics would close out the series in Game 6 with a dominant 131–92 win. The 39-point margin of victory was the largest ever in an NBA championship-clinching game, breaking the old record of 33, also set by the Celtics over the Lakers in Game Five of the 1965 NBA Finals, 129–96. Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP. This was

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry only visiting team to win an NBA championship in that arena. Lakers owner Jerry Buss famously remarked that "this has removed the most odious sentence in the English language. It can never again be said that 'the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics'". The Celtics rebounded the following year to win the 1986 NBA Finals against the Rockets. In the 1987 NBA Finals, the two teams met for a tie-breaker of their 1980s Finals matches, and the Lakers once again emerged victorious in six games, with the iconic image of Magic Johnson's junior sky hook. This series marked the end

neg: 1961 NBA Playoffs to date; though they still exist in the NBA as the Atlanta Hawks, they have yet to return to the Finals as of 2018. Champion: St. Louis Hawks Division Semifinals (1) St. Louis Hawks have division semifinals byes. (2) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Detroit Pistons: "Lakers win series 3-2" Division Finals (1) St. Louis Hawks vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers: "Hawks win series 4-3" Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals byes. (2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals:"Nationals win series 3-0" Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Celtics win series 4-1"

neg: 1959 NBA Playoffs 1959 NBA Playoffs The 1959 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1958-59 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Minneapolis Lakers 4 games to 0 in the NBA Finals. It was the Celtics' second NBA championship. This was the first NBA Finals matchup between the Lakers and Celtics; as of 2015, they have met in the Finals 12 times. Boston won the first eight NBA Finals series of the rivalry, spanning 3 decades – the 1950s, 1960s and 1980s – before the Lakers finally defeated Boston

neg: 1965 NBA Playoffs first-round bye. (2) St. Louis Hawks vs. (3) Baltimore Bullets: "Bullets win series 3-1" Division Finals (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Baltimore Bullets: "Lakers win series 4-2" Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics received a first-round bye. (2) Cincinnati Royals vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: "76ers win series 3-1" Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Philadelphia 76ers: "Celtics win series 4-3" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers: "Celtics win series 4-1" 1965 NBA Playoffs The 1965 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1964–65 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern

neg: 1990 NBA Finals 1990 NBA Finals The 1990 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 1989–90 NBA season. The series pitted the Detroit Pistons (the previous year's champions) against the Portland Trail Blazers. This was the first NBA Finals since 1979 not to involve either the Los Angeles Lakers or the Boston Celtics. The Pistons became just the third franchise in NBA history to win back-to-back championships, joining the Lakers and Celtics. The Trail Blazers last made the NBA Finals when they won the NBA championship in 1977. In between Finals appearances, the Blazers made the playoffs every year except 1982, but

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry 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. During a game against the Lakers on February 11, 2011, Ray Allen became the all-time NBA leader in total 3-point field goals made. However, both the Lakers and Celtics would be eliminated in the second round of the playoffs that year by the 2011 NBA Finals participants, the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat, respectively. The following year they would again both be eliminated by the eventual 2012 NBA Finals participants, the Oklahoma City

neg: Quinn Buckner he's disciplined." Buckner, who couldn’t have said it better himself added, "I’ve always admired the Boston style of play, and I feel I can play it." Milwaukee never did win the title. Boston, however, won a championship in 1984, with Buckner coming off the bench to spell Dennis Johnson and Gerald Henderson. The Celtics went 62–20 during the regular season and then nudged the Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game NBA Finals. With the NBA championship ring, Buckner completed an impressive résumé. In three seasons with Boston, Buckner made small but regular contributions for a powerful Celtics team. The club

neg: 1984 NBA Finals record. The Lakers finally exorcised its ghosts, beating the Celtics in six games, and more appropriately, won the title on the parquet floor of the Boston Garden. The Lakers' win marked the only time a visiting team won the title at the Garden. 1984 NBA Finals The 1984 NBA Finals, also known as Showdown '84, was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1983–84 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeated the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers in a seven-game Finals, winning Game 7 111–102. Celtics forward Larry Bird

neg: National Basketball Association other in three NBA Finals (1984, 1985, and 1987, featuring 11 players and coaches who would later be inducted to the Basketball Hall of Fame). Like the 1960s, when the Celtics and Lakers faced each other in six NBA Finals, the two teams again dominated the NBA. In the 10 seasons of the 1980s, Johnson led the Lakers to five titles in eight Finals while Bird led the Celtics to three titles in five Finals. Also in the early 1980s, the NBA added one more expansion franchise, the Dallas Mavericks, bringing the total to 23 teams. Later on, Larry Bird

neg: 1963 NBA Playoffs semifinals byes. (2) Syracuse Nationals vs. (3) Cincinnati Royals: "Royals win series 3-2" Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (3) Cincinnati Royals: "Celtics win series 4-3" (1) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers: "Celtics win series 4-2" 1963 NBA Playoffs The 1963 NBA Playoffs were the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1962-63 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 2 in the NBA Finals. The Celtics won their 5th straight and 6th overall, NBA title. Boston defeated L.A. in the NBA Finals

neg: 1980 NBA Finals Larry Bird and the 61–win Celtics, and owing to the core's three consecutive playoff appearances, the more experienced 76ers were favored to win the series. Proving the prognosticators right, Philadelphia won in five games, preventing the first Celtics–Lakers final since 1969. The 76ers were the first of the four Philadelphia professional sports teams to play for their respective sports' championships in the 1980 season. The Flyers lost the Stanley Cup Finals against the New York Islanders in overtime of Game 6, eight days after the 76ers fell to the Lakers in their Game 6. The Phillies beat the Kansas City

neg: 1984–85 Boston Celtics season In the playoffs, the Celtics defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers in the First Round in four games, the Detroit Pistons in the Semifinals in six games, and the Philadelphia 76ers in the Conference Finals in five games to advance to the NBA Finals. In the Finals, they faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers, the team who they beat in last season's NBA Finals in seven games, and have beaten a total of 8 consecutive times in their NBA Finals matchups. However, the Celtics were defeated in six games by the Lakers, marking the first time the Celtics were defeated by

neg: 1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season "Lakers win series 4–3" Last Playoff Meeting: Not available (first playoff series) (1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (3) Dallas Mavericks: "Lakers win series 4–3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1986 Western Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles won 4–2) (W1) Los Angeles Lakers vs. (E2) Detroit Pistons: "Lakers win series 4–3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1962 Western Division Finals (Los Angeles won 4–3) 1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season The 1987–88 season saw the Lakers win their eleventh NBA championship, defeating the Detroit Pistons in a hard-fought seven games in the NBA Finals to become the NBA’s first repeat champions since the Boston Celtics did it

neg: 1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season 1982 Western Conference Semifinals (Los Angeles won 4–0) <nowiki>*</nowiki>overtime "Boston beats Los Angeles 4–3" Lakers History The 1984 NBA Finals|Celtics.com NBA.com: Larry's Celtics Edge Magic's Lakers in 7 1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season The 1983–84 season for the Los Angeles Lakers saw them lose in the 1984 NBA Finals against Larry Bird's Boston Celtics in seven well-fought games. The Lakers were coming off of an NBA Finals loss to the Julius Erving and Moses Malone led Philadelphia 76ers, in which they were swept in four games. The Los Angeles Lakers, powered by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (who broke the NBA's all-time total

neg: 1986 NBA Finals of June. It was also the last NBA Finals series to schedule a game on a Monday until 1999 and also the last NBA Finals game to be played on Memorial Day. Until the 2018 series, it was the last to conclude before June 10. CBS Sports used Dick Stockton and Tom Heinsohn as the play-by-play man and color commentator respectively. Meanwhile, Brent Musburger was the host and Pat O'Brien (the Rockets' sideline) and Lesley Visser (the Celtics' sideline) were the sideline reporters. The Celtics made the 1985 NBA Finals, but lost in six games to the Los Angeles Lakers.

neg: 2010 NBA Finals Lakers' franchise NBA championship total to 16, second only to the Celtics' 17 championships. This also marked the 11th title for the team since , and it was the franchise's fifth Finals win in eleven seasons. Notably, this was the Lakers' first Game 7 win over the Celtics in Finals history, Boston had won all previous matchups. Moreover, the Lakers were now 3–9 against Boston since the two teams first competed against each other in the NBA Finals. On June 21, a victory parade took place for the Lakers. Unlike like previous years, however, there was no pep rally that

neg: 1986–87 Boston Celtics season In the Finals, the Celtics faced off against their long time rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, in their third and final matchup in the NBA Finals in the 1980s. The Celtics would lose in six games to the Lakers, and it marked the last time the Celtics made it to the NBA Finals until 2008. Thanks to the 1984 trade of Gerald Henderson and the subsequent fall of the Seattle SuperSonics, at the end of the 1985–86 season the Celtics owned not only the best team in the NBA but also the second pick in the 1986 NBA Draft. The

neg: 1988 NBA Finals Boston Celtics once again in the conference finals. This time, the Pistons were the better team, eliminating the Celtics in six games for their first NBA Finals appearance since . The Los Angeles Lakers won both games in the regular season series: The Pistons had just dispatched the Celtics in six games, while the Lakers were coming off back-to-back seven-game wins over the Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers were tired, and it showed. Adrian Dantley scored 34 points, hitting 14 of 16 shots from the field. The Pistons took control of the game with four seconds left in

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry against the Knicks. This would also prove to be Laker great Jerry West's only NBA title. The following year, the Lakers again faced the Knicks in the 1973 NBA Finals and lost. They would not make it to the Finals again in this decade, but in 1975 they acquired Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Celtics won the NBA Finals in 1974, and won again in 1976, under the leadership of coach Tom Heinsohn and players Dave Cowens, Paul Silas and Jo Jo White. Neither team won another championship until the 1980s. However, the foundation for the renewed Celtics–Lakers rivalry of the 1980s

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry to "Beat L.A.!" Despite the encouragement, the 76ers lost the 1982 NBA Finals to the Lakers, who were led by new head coach Pat Riley. However, the 76ers defeated the Lakers the following year in the 1983 NBA Finals. The 1982–1983 season would also be the rookie year of Laker James Worthy, another Hall of Famer in the storied rivalry. The Celtics would get a new head coach in K.C. Jones, who was also a former Celtics player, and two teams finally had their long-awaited rematch in the 1984 NBA Finals, a grueling seven game series that had many memorable

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry for 15 shooting. It was the only time a visiting team claimed an NBA championship in Boston Garden. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP of the series, making him the oldest player (38 years, 1 month, 24 days) ever to win the MVP of an NBA Finals series. After being eliminated in the Western Conference Finals a year earlier, the Lakers returned to the NBA Finals and were awarded homecourt advantage as they accumulated a 65–17 record while the Celtics finished the season with a 59–23 record. The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Celtics four games to two. In Game 1,

neg: 1962 NBA Playoffs Semifinals (1) Boston Celtics have division semifinals byes. (2) Philadelphia Warriors vs. (3) Syracuse Nationals: "Warriors win series 3-2" Last Playoffs meeting: 1961 Eastern Division Semifinals (Syracuse won 3-0). Division Finals (1) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Philadelphia Warriors: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoffs meeting: 1960 Eastern Division Finals (Boston won 4-2). (1) Boston Celtics vs. (1) Los Angeles Lakers:"Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoffs meeting: 1959 NBA Finals (Boston won 4-0; Lakers were in Minneapolis at the time). 1962 NBA Playoffs The 1962 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1961-62 season. The tournament concluded

neg: History of the Los Angeles Lakers Breda Kolff. That year saw the team repeat its now-bitter pattern, losing to the Celtics in the 1968 NBA Finals. It had become clear that the Lakers needed to counter the great Celtics center, Bill Russell, and thus Cooke obtained Wilt Chamberlain from the Philadelphia 76ers, hoping to supplement the aging and ailing Baylor. The move seemed at first to have worked, as the 1969 Lakers proceeded to compile a better record than the Celtics behind Chamberlain's league leading 21.1 rebounds per game. The two clubs met once again in the NBA Finals, but for the first time the Lakers

neg: Celtics–Lakers rivalry to win 1,000 games. They went on to win the 2009 NBA Finals that season, but the Celtics were eliminated by eventual Eastern Conference champions Orlando Magic. In 2009, the Lakers signed Ron Artest (now Metta World Peace). The summer before the 2009–2010 season, Phil Jackson ran into Paul Pierce and told him, "Get it back, we want to meet you in the Finals." The Lakers ended the season with the West's best record, while the Celtics would enter the playoffs as the number four seed. Build up for a rematch began with the Lakers taking a 2–0 lead over

neg: 1985 NBA Finals fell in five games to the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals. The Celtics defeated the Rockets in six games in 1986, the franchise's sixteenth championship. Bird was named Finals MVP for the second time in three seasons. The Lakers and Celtics met again in 1987 with Los Angeles winning in six games. It was the last time Magic Johnson and Larry Bird would meet in the NBA Finals. The Lakers and Celtics would not square off again for the championship until 2008. 1985 NBA Finals The 1985 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National

neg: NBA Finals a losing record in the regular season, and the Celtics had an NBA best record of 62–20. The Celtics later won the Finals in 6 games. The Lakers returned to the NBA Finals in 1982, this time led by new coach Pat Riley, in a rematch against the 76ers. The 76ers defeated the Celtics in the Eastern Conference finals in a 7-game series, but were defeated by Lakers in 6 games, with Johnson being named Finals MVP. Upon losing their past three NBA Finals appearances, the 76ers decided that they needed one more piece to become champions, and enlisted Malone

neg: 2010 NBA Finals only the fourth since the NBA Finals returned to a 2–3–2 format in . Los Angeles added its eleventh title in that city to go with its five in Minneapolis to move a step closer to the Celtics' league-leading seventeen championships and gain revenge for their defeat in 2008. The Lakers had won the previous season’s NBA Finals against the Orlando Magic for the franchise's 15th championship. The Celtics won their previous NBA Finals appearance against the Lakers in 2008. This was the 12th Finals played between the two rival teams. The Celtics won nine of their previous 11 Finals

neg: 1987 NBA Finals 1987 NBA Finals The 1987 NBA Finals was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1986–87 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference and defending NBA champion Boston Celtics 4 games to 2. The key moment of the series was Magic Johnson's junior sky hook in Game 4. This was the tenth time that the Celtics and Lakers met in the NBA Finals (more than any other Finals matchup). It would be the Celtics' last Finals appearance until the two teams met in 2008. This was

neg: NBA on ABC 7 of the Los Angeles Lakers–Boston Celtics series in prime time on a weeknight. The following season, ABC aired the 1970 NBA Finals in its entirety, making it the first Finals series to have all games televised nationally. Commentators for the original "NBA on ABC" included play-by-play announcers Keith Jackson and Chris Schenkel, and analysts Jack Twyman, Bob Cousy and Bill Russell. On April 8, 1967, a strike by the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) forced ABC Sports producer Chuck Howard and director Chet Forte to call Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals between Boston Celtics

neg: NBA Finals the Heat won their first championship in game six. The Lakers returned to the finals in 2008, against the Boston Celtics. Renewing the teams' rivalry, this marked the 11th time that these two teams met in the Finals, the last meeting happened in 1987. The Celtics, who defeated the Lakers 4–2, were led by their "Big Three" superstars of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce, who was also named Finals MVP. The Lakers bounced back from their 2008 loss and returned to the Finals in 2009, where they faced the Orlando Magic, led by Defensive Player of the Year

neg: 1968 NBA Playoffs "Lakers win series 4-0" Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Western Division Semifinals (San Francisco won 3-0) Champion: Boston Celtics Division Semifinals (1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (3) New York Knicks: "76ers win series 4-2" Last Playoff Meeting: 1959 Eastern Division Semifinals (Syracuse, the predecessor to Philadelphia, won 3-2) (2) Boston Celtics vs. (4) Detroit Pistons: "Celtics win series 4-2" This is the first playoff meeting between the Celtics and the Pistons. Division Finals (1) Philadelphia 76ers vs. (2) Boston Celtics: "Celtics win series 4-3" Last Playoff Meeting: 1967 Eastern Division Finals (Philadelphia won 4-1) (2) Boston Celtics vs. (2) Los Angeles Lakers:

neg: James Worthy NBA since '68-'69 Celtics. During the regular season Worthy averaged 19.7 points and scored a career-high 38 points against the Atlanta Hawks. Worthy led the Lakers in scoring in the 1988 play-offs and led the NBA in points scored during the play-offs. During the Finals against the Pistons Worthy once again excelled, averaging 22 ppg, 7.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists in the series. A 28-point, 9 rebound Game 6 and monster 36-16-10 triple double that carried the Lakers to victory in Game 7 of the Finals earned Worthy the NBA Finals MVP award. A fourth ring beckoned in 1988–89, but

neg: 1965 NBA Playoffs 1965 NBA Playoffs The 1965 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1964–65 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Division champion Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1 in the NBA Finals. Boston won its seventh consecutive NBA title and eighth overall while handing the Lakers their fourth straight Finals loss in the process. This was the first playoff appearance for the Baltimore Bullets, who had begun play in the 1961–62 season as the Chicago Packers. Champion: Los Angeles Lakers Division Semifinals (1) Los Angeles Lakers received a

neg: 2009 NBA Finals and the Phoenix Suns in six to return to the NBA Finals and renew their heated rivalry with the Celtics. In the Finals the Lakers won a hard-fought seven game series against the Celtics to retain the NBA title, becoming the first team to repeat as champions since the 2002 Lakers, in 2011 playoffs when seeking three-peat, they sweep to eventual champion Dallas Mavericks. The Magic again won 59 games and the division title in the 2009-10 season, in which they let go of Hedo Türkoğlu to the Toronto Raptors and acquired Vince Carter from the New Jersey Nets. Dwight

neg: Kobe Doin' Work Lakers hoped to keep first place in the Western Conference with a record of 55-25. Spike Lee was interviewed asking why he chose Kobe Bryant to direct this documentary, in which Lee replied, "I'm a big basketball fan. It was obvious. He was having an MVP-type year, in which he did win the MVP. Also the Lakers looked like they were going to take it to the Finals. And I wanted them to beat the Celtics. I hate the Celtics. But the Celtics won. But I don't think I was taking a gamble by choosing Kobe." (Lee, NBA.com)3. Kobe agreed

neg: 2008–09 Boston Celtics season 2008–09 Boston Celtics season The 2008–09 Boston Celtics season was the 63rd season of the Boston Celtics in the National Basketball Association (NBA). They started the season as defending NBA champions, where they defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2008 NBA Finals, winning their seventeenth NBA championship, as well as marking their ninth series victory over the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Celtics started the season 27–2, which surpassed a mark set by the 1966–67 Philadelphia 76ers for the best two-loss start in NBA history. This run also included a 19-game winning streak, which improved a Celtics franchise

neg: Boston Celtics and Ray Allen in the 2008 Eastern Conference Finals the Celtics defeated the Pistons in 6 games to advance to the NBA Finals where they went on to beat the Lakers also in 6 games. The rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers involves the two most storied franchises in NBA history. It has been called the NBA's best rivalry. The two teams have met a record twelve times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first Finals meeting in . They would go on to dominate the league in the 1960s and the 1980s, facing each other

neg: 1985 NBA Finals 2008 NBA Finals, this was the most lopsided finals game in the history of the Lakers–Celtics rivalry. The Lakers recovered from their Game 1 embarrassment behind Abdul-Jabbar's 30 points, 17 rebounds, 3 blocked shots, and 8 assists. Laker swingman Michael Cooper helped in the cause by finishing with 22 points on an 8 for 9 shooting performance, including several clutch outside jumpers down the stretch. The series was evened at 1-1. The Celtics held a 48-38 lead in the second quarter before the Lakers, led by James Worthy, took a 65-59 lead at halftime. The Lakers pulled away in the

neg: Bill Russell win 60 games in a season, and Russell was voted as the NBA's Most Valuable Player. In the post-season, the Celtics met the Philadelphia Warriors of Chamberlain, and Russell did his best to slow down the 50-points-per-game scoring Warriors center. In the pivotal Game 7, Russell managed to hold Chamberlain to only 22 points (28 below his season average) while scoring 19 himself. The game was tied with two seconds left when Sam Jones sank a clutch shot that won the Celtics the series. In the 1962 NBA Finals, the Celtics met the Los Angeles Lakers of star forward Elgin

neg: 1983 NBA Finals in five games to the then-defending NBA champions. The Lakers would return to the Finals again in , but were defeated for the second straight year, this time by their arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics in seven games. They would, however, defeat the Celtics in 1985 in six games, and win two more titles in 1987 and 1988. The 1983 Finals was the last to end within the month of May. All Finals series thereafter would end within the month of June. This was the only championship not to be won by either the Celtics or Lakers between and and the