The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics have THE greatest rivalry in NBA history. No two teams have been as dominant or have met each other in so many finals. Did you know that out of the 77 NBA Championships, either the Lakers or Celtics have won 34 of them! That means that nearly 50% of all NBA rings have been won by these dynasties.
In today’s modern NBA, with things like AI sports betting, live streaming, and a greater talent pool, the Celtics/Lakers rivalry has not been as strong. However, from the 1960s to 2010s, these two teams fought against each other countless times and in this article, I aim to tell the story of their rivalry and where it started.
1960s⎯The Birth of the Lakers/Celtics Rivalry in the Russell/West Era
During the birth of the NBA, the Minneapolis Lakers established themselves as a premier team and it wasn’t really until the 1959 NBA Finals that the rivalry blossomed. During this first-ever Celtics/Lakers showdown, the Celtics put a beating on the Lakers and humiliated them 4−0, with Bill Russell starting a trend of winning that would last throughout the 1960s.
Indeed, during this era, the Celtics would win every final, except the 1967 one, and the two teams faced off six times, with legendary squads including Russell, Havlicek, Jones, Heinsohn, Baylor, West, and Goodrich. The 1960s were when the rivalry was at its zenith and the Lakers suffered defeat after defeat against Bill Russell and Red Auerbach.
1980s⎯Renewed Rivalry During the Showtime/Bird Era
Part of what makes basketball so entertaining is these rivalries and during the 1970s, the rivalry slowed down somewhat. Both teams had minor success and won championships during the ‘70s, but it wasn’t until the arrival of Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Elgin Baylor, and Magic Johnson to the Lakers, and Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish to the Celtics that things heated up again.
During the showtime Lakers era, the teams met a further three times, with the Lakers and Magic Johnson coming out on top with two wins to Bird’s one triumph. The rivalry during this era was heightened as Johnson and Bird were seen as the two best players in the NBA.
2008−2010⎯Garnet/Kobe Short-Lived Era
After the Bird/Johnson era, Michael Jordan took over and of course, we all know about the epic double three-peat that the Bulls pulled off during the ‘90s.
It wasn’t until the late 2000s that the rivalry reared its head again. This time, we had Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol of the Lakers square up twice in the finals against Kevin Garnet, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen of the Celtics.
The 2008 finals were incredibly memorable and saw KG’s Celtics win 4−2 with an impressive comeback against Kobe. The Lakers would then win in 2009 against the Orlando Magic but the Celtics would return to face the Lakers in the 2010 finals only to lose to Kobe again. This is the state of the Lakers/Celtics rivalry as it currently stands!
Celebrating the Two Most Decorated NBA Teams of All Time
So, as it stands, the Celtics and Lakers have met a record 12 times in the NBA finals, with Boston currently having the better postseason record against the Lakers at 43−31. The Celtics also have the record for the longest win streak, with 18 wins. The following is a list of all their finals meetings
- 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
- 2010 NBA Finals: Lakers won, 4–3
Although the Celtics had the upper hand during the early years, the Lakers have won three of their last four meetings. Additionally, while both teams have won 17 NBA championships, the Lakers have appeared in 10 more finals than the Celtics.
Could the 2023−24 Season See a Renewal of the Legendary Rivalry?
The Lakers Celtics rivalry has been in a lull since the 2010s and although the Lakers won a chip in 2020, there haven’t been any finals meetings for over a decade! Who knows, the 2023−24 season could see the return of these two legendary teams to the finals for a 13th matchup.
The Lakers have incredible depth and with a healthy LeBron James and AD, they are certainly contenders. Similarly, Boston has made some amazing trades and with a starting lineup including Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Porzingis, they are certainly contenders in the East!