Los Angeles Lakers

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Lore & Background

The rivalry truly escalated after the Lakers moved to Los Angeles in 1960. Throughout the 1960s, the Celtics, led by Bill Russell, Tom Heinsohn, John Havlicek, and Sam Jones under Red Auerbach, defeated the Lakers six times in the Finals (1962, 1963, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1969). Boston won all six, including an unprecedented eight consecutive championships. The 1969 series was particularly dramatic; despite the Lakers having home-court advantage and winning the first two games, they lost a decisive Game 7 at the Forum. This loss sparked intense personal animosity between Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain after Chamberlain left the game early with six minutes remaining, leading Russell to accuse him of "copping out." The two did not speak for over 20 years. In the 1980s, the rivalry reignited through the personal feud between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Bird famously checked box scores every morning just to see what Magic did, while Magic circled Boston games on his schedule as "The Two." The teams met in the Finals three times this decade: the Celtics won a grueling seven-game series in 1984, featuring a physical Game 5 in the un-airconditioned Garden and Cedric Maxwell's 24 points in the clincher. The Lakers avenged this in 1985, becoming the first visiting team to win a title at Boston Garden after a 34-point loss in Game 1 dubbed the "Memorial Day Massacre." More recently, they met in 2008 (Celtics won 4–2) and 2010 (Lakers won in 7 games).

In Their Own Story

The intensity of this rivalry fluctuates with its stars but remains ever-present. It cooled slightly after Bird and Magic retired in the early 1990s but surged again in 2008, marking their first Finals meeting since 1987. In the 1960s, the Lakers were forced to watch from the outside as Boston captured every title except 1967. The emotional weight of these encounters is best illustrated by the 1984 series, where a blowout in Game 3 led Bird to call his teammates "sissies," and the physical aggression that followed. Even today, with Boston holding the only winning overall record against Los Angeles as of 2023–24, the history of these 12 meetings defines the league's hierarchy.

Reader's Guide

To understand this rivalry, start with the 1959 Finals where the Celtics swept the Minneapolis Lakers for their first of eight straight titles. Note that while both teams won championships in the 1970s (Lakers in 1972; Celtics in 1974 and 1976), they never met in the Finals during that decade. When tracking their history, remember the split in the 2000s/2010s: a Celtics victory in 2008 and a Lakers victory in 2010. The teams have won 18 and 17 titles respectively, with the Lakers' count including 5 from their Minneapolis era.

Did You Know?

• The Celtics swept the Lakers in their first Finals meeting in 1959, marking the first sweep in NBA Finals history.
• Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell did not speak to each other for over 20 years after a bitter Game 7 in the 1969 Finals.
• In 1985, the Lakers became the first visiting team ever to win an NBA championship at Boston Garden.
• The Celtics won six consecutive NBA Finals against the Lakers during the 1960s (1962–1969).
• As of the end of the 2023–24 season, Boston is the only team in NBA history with a winning overall record against the Lakers.