The past two winners of the Larry O’Brien trophy or more popularly known as the NBA championship meets anew for all the marbles as the 2008 kingpins Boston Celtics and the defending champs Los Angeles Lakers clash in a best-of seven title showdown which starts on June 4 (Manila time).
Both teams are fresh from winning their respective conference finals series against the Orlando Magic and Phoenix Suns in six games apiece.
The 2010 NBA finals will mark the 12th title series confrontation between this two storied franchises. Boston is still tops in the number of NBA titles at 17 with the Lakers a close second with 15. Below is the complete breakdown of their championship series meetings:
Post Season Meetings 36-27 (BOS)
1959 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-0
1962 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3
1963 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-2
1965 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-1
1966 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3
1968 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-2
1969 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3
1984 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-3
1985 NBA Finals Lakers won, 4-2
1987 NBA Finals Lakers won, 4-2
2008 NBA Finals Celtics won, 4-2
Additionally, herewith are some interesting historical sidelights to the Celtics-Lakers rivalry:
The Celtics and the Lakers first played each other on November 9, 1948.
The Celtics and the Lakers last played each other on February 18, 2010.
The Celtics lead their all-time regular season match-up with the Lakers, winning 152 of 272 games played over-all or a winning percentage of .559.
The Celtics hold the biggest winning margin of 44 points against the Lakers in a game played on November 11, 1955.
Frank Selvy was known as a great shooter as he once scored 105 points in a college game. But he missed this potential series winner for the Lakers during game seven of the 1962 finals against the Celtics.
Sam Jones was near the end of his career, but he still had this one clutch shot left in him as he scored the winning basket for Boston in game 4 that even up the 1969 finals series vs. the Lakers at 2-games apiece.
Also during game 7 of that 1969 finals series and the shot clock approaching zero, Boston’s Don Nelson picked up a loose ball that was knocked away by the Lakers' Keith Erickson, and threw up this desperation shot that hit the back of the rim, bounced high in the air, and went through the hoop to clinch the victory and the title for the Celtics.
Jerry West won the MVP award of the 1969 NBA finals by averaging over 30 points per game in the series. He was the first player to win the award on the losing team.
During game 2 of the 1984 finals, Gerald Henderson of the Celtics stole the inbound pass and made a layup to tie the game and sent it into overtime paving the way for a miraculous Boston victory. After Henderson's layup, the Lakers still had time to attempt a game winning shot. But Magic Johnson inexplicably dribbled around until time ran out without even attempting a shot. After the game, Johnson admitted he lost track of the game situation, and thought the Lakers were still up by a point.
Boston recorded the Memorial Day massacre by winning game one of the 1985 finals, 148-114. The Lakers went on to win the series however, by winning 4 of the next 5 games.
In 1985, Kareem Abdul Jabbar won the finals MVP for the second time in his career. The first time was in 1971 as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. Magic Johnson won this award in 1980, 82, and 87, while James Worthy won it in 1988.
In 1987, the Lakers led the series 2 games to 1, and in game 4 had cut a Celtics' 19 point lead to one with just seconds to go when Magic Johnson dribbled into the lane, and made what he called a "baby, baby sky hook."
In game 6 of the 1987 finals, the Lakers led 3 games to 2, but trailed the Celtics in the 3rd quarter. On a ball that seemed certain to go out of bounds near mid court, Laker James Worthy sprinted and dove head first to slap the ball back in to a teammate. This play changed the momentum, and the Lakers stormed to a victory and the NBA title.
Paul Pierce left Game 1 of the 2008 NBA finals with 6:49 left in the third quarter after colliding with teammate Kendrick Perkins. Pierce returned with 5:04 left in the quarter and not only inspired the Celtics' to a win, but also outscored league MVP Kobe Bryant.
The Boston Celtics were down 18 points at halftime but came back to beat the L.A. Lakers in Game 4 on the 2008 NBA Finals, 97-91. The Celtics clinched the title in game six with a 131-92 rout of the Lakers.
For sure, there will be more dramatic moments that will transpire and be forever entrenched in the minds of the most avid basketball followers as the 2010 NBA finals unfolds.
In the world of the NBA, there is nothing like a Celtics-Lakers finals.
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