NBA Championship Rivals: The Celtics and the Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are meeting in 2010 NBA Finals. The two teams have met in the NBA Finals several times in their storied past. The teams last met in the 2008 Championships. This year will mark the 11^th time the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics have clashed in the NBA finals. It marks the 12^th time the two franchises have met as the Minneapolis Lakers also faced the Celtics.

2008

The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to two to win the NBA Championship. Boston's Paul Pierce was named the MVP. The Celtics would not return to the NBA Finals until 2010. The Los Angeles Lakers went on to win the NBA Finals in 2009 and return to the NBA Finals for their third straight time.

1987

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics four games to two to claim the 1987 title. The Lakers Magic Johnson would be named the finals MVP. It would take the Boston Celtics 21 years to return to the NBA Finals. The Lakers returned to 3 of the next four NBA Finals.

1985

The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Boston Celtics four games to two. Kareem Abdul- Jabbar was named the NBA Finals MVP. The Lakers would not return to the finals until 1987. The Celtics would win the 1986 Championship.

1984

The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to three to win the NBA Championship. Larry Bird was named the NBA Finals MVP and the two teams would meet for a rematch in the 1985 NBA Finals. It marked the first time the two teams had met in the finals since 1969.

1969

The Boston Celtics repeated as NBA Champions by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers four games to three. The Lakers would go to the finals in 1970 to lose their third straight NBA Final. 1969 marked the first time an MVP award was given out after the NBA Finals. The Lakers lost the series however, Lakers great Jerry West won the MVP award.

1968

The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to two. The teams would meat again in 1969. This was the Lakers first of three NBA final losses in a row.

1966

The Boston Celtics won their eight straight NBA title. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to three.

1965

The Celtics won their seventh straight NBA title. Boston defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one.

1963

The Boston Celtics won their fifth straight NBA championship. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to two. The Celtics would defend their NBA title the following year. The Lakers would not reach the finals until 1965.

1962

The Boston Celtics won their fourth straight NBA championship. The Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers four games to three.

1959

The Boston Celtics were the NBA Finals for the third straight year. The year before the Celtics lost to the Saint Louis Hawks four games to two. The Celtics swept the Minneapolis Lakers four games to none. The two franchises would not meet in the finals again until 1962 when the Lakers had moved to Los Angeles. Boston would go on to win eight straight championships. The Celtics would appear in 10 straight NBA Finals from 1957 to 1967.

Sources:

NBA.com.