A Renewed Rivalry: The Boston Celtics Versus the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals!

The Boston Celtics battling the Los Angeles Lakers: one of the most prolific sports rivalries in history. Even during the early years of the National Basketball Association, there were no other larger rivalries than the purple and gold against the green and white. This famous rivalry has made waves internationally and can also be considered as one of the reasons why basketball is at its level today. This head-to-head match-up of the two most notable franchises in sports history has become a worldwide spectacle throughout the years. During the 1960s up to the 1980s, the LA-Boston rivalry has revolved around such great players as Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Earvin "Magic Johnson" for the Lakers, and Bill Rusell, John Havliceck, and Larry Bird for the Celtics. This bitter rivalry somehow declined during the 90s as the Celtics became a less-competitive team.

Today, this rivalry has become renewed thanks to the efforts of Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol for the Lakers, and Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce for the Celtics. They became the two top teams in their respective conferences and it is just fitting that they face head-to-head in the NBA Finals. The Celtics having the best record in the league thanks to the "Big Ticket" and "Defensive Player of the Year" Kevin Garnett, made their way to the finals after enduring such grueling play-off series against Atlanta, Cleveland and Detroit. While Boston struggled in the east, the Lakers notched their Finals stint by beating Denver, Utah and the defending champions, San Antonio Spurs.