The Celtics-Lakers Rivalry Continues
The NBA's two most storied franchises have faced-off in many a Finals championship battle, producing one of the leagues most historical rivalries. This season will be the twelfth meeting of the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics in the championship.
Throughout the years there has been notable player match-ups such as Boston’s Bill Russell and Bob Cousy against Los Angeles’ Elgin Baylor and Jerry West. Who could forget the mind-blowing match-up between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird?
More recently, we have seen match-ups between Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Pau Gasol going up against Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen. This is the second time Finals meeting in three years for the two teams, as Boston beat up on the Lakers to win the title in 2008.
The players acknowledge that this is an intriguing match-up. After clinching the Western Conference, Kobe stated, “It’s a sexy match-up. So, we’re looking forward to the challenge and looking forward to the test.”
The media, on the other hand, tend to take the rivalry to the extreme. Ted Green, writer for the Los Angeles Times created “Your Guide To Hating the Celtics“. In the original article Green gets particularly personal when it comes to Paul Pierce. He states, “By the way, Pierce’s idea of a fun night is going clubbing and getting stabbed. Good times!”
This statement was omitted from the Times article due to public outcry. Nevertheless, numerous petty jabs and personal attacks aimed at each Celtics player remain in the article.
Many believe that Boston will not repeat against Los Angeles. While the Lakers are the defending champions, revenge is still on the menu. In a column by Ian Thomsen of Inside the NBA, Thomsen differentiates the Kobe Bryant of 2008 and the Kobe Bryant of 2010.
He argues that in the ‘08 series Kobe was trying to transition into his role as a leader of the team. Thomsen mentions that after a 39 point blowout there will be no continuation of the last match-up. He alludes to the fact that Kobe’s desire to avenge the loss of the 2008 championship will make him and his team more aggressive than the Celtics.
Rivalry aside, both the Lakers and the Celtics exhibit impeccable athleticism, and I am expecting an intense battle between the two teams. Let the games begin!
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