In what is a dream come true finals match up for the NBA and fans everywhere, there exists a certain cosmic irony or perhaps fateful justice that after a 21 year absence from the NBA finals the Boston Celtics are back facing their storied rival the Los Angeles Lakers. Anyone who knows anything about the NBA knows the lore and mythology of the Celtics vs. Lakers rivalry. If there was a basketball rivalry to challenge the Yankees vs. Red Sox baseball rivalry it would certainly be this one.
Over the course of NBA history, the Celtics amassed 16 championships, with the Lakers closely behind and chomping at their heels thanks to a three-peat title run from 2000 to 2002, resulting in a total of 14 championships. During the course of collecting those 14 and 16 titles respectively, the Lakers and Celtics faced off nine times with each contest featuring interesting and unique match ups to entertain and delight fans.
From the Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain struggles down low in the 60's, to Dave Cowens against Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Pat Riley against Jo Jo White in the 70's, to Magic versus Bird in the 80's, the Celtics and the Lakers always seemed to pit not just two storied franchises against each other, not just two polar opposite cities against each other, but individual players as well. Everyone can think of and name the battles or their favorite moments in the individual chess matches that the players above waged against each other, but how many people 20 years from now are going to remember Tim Duncan against Rasheed Wallace or Dwayne Wade against Jason Stackhouse? (Don't answer that it was rhetorical.) More than any other rivalry in the history of the game, the Celtics and Lakers seem to pit players who are at the top of their position in the game against each other in a way that is more intense than any other match up.
This current series is no different. Arguably, the best player in the game today, Kobe Bryant, is matched up against the Celtics’ best player since Larry Bird, Paul Pierce. While they may not spend much time guarding each other, clearly they are the captains and leaders of their respective clubs. Whoever comes out ahead in that contest may decide who the winner of the series will be. The match ups down low present problems for each team as well, versatile forwards Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol take on Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett and his fellow straight out of high school big man Kendrick Perkins. Even role players and second tier stars are pitted against each other perfectly. The aging Sam Cassel backup point guard for the Celtics against veteran Lakers point Derrick Fisher. Add to the mix second year players Jordan Farmar against Celtics starting point guard Rajon Rondo, and the match up game with in the game gets all the more exciting.
Farmar and Rondo both present interesting stories in this finals series. Farmar, a hometown hero, grew up in the Los Angeles area and stayed close to home, opting to play for the UCLA Bruins in college. To his fortune and credit, in 2007 the Lakers sought him out, drafting him to their famed franchise. During his first two NBA seasons, Farmar has shown flashes of brilliance and proved himself an incredible savant in the dribble penetration arena. On the opposite side is Rondo, a McDonald's All American and prized recruit coming out of Louisville where he shunned the hometown Cardinals, opting instead to play down the road for the Kentucky Wildcats. In high school Rondo showed offensive brilliance averaging 21 points and 12 assists per game. In college Rondo averaged 11.2 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 2.1 steals a game. Although he is not known as a shooter; he is an outstanding shut-down defender and rebounder for a small guard.
Ultimately this series will rest on the larger version of that match up. Can the Lakers’ high-powered triangle offense be contained by the Celtics’ equally intense defensive prowess? Will one team’s strength bend to the will of the opponent’s strength?
The second tier match ups in this much anticipated finals series may be the most important. The direct conflict between the two captains on each team, Pierce and Bryant respectively, will certainly be important, but whoever wins the second and third option battles and whichever teams bench provides more productive minutes will likely end up winning the series. Who will have more of an impact, the high motor Luke Walton or the struggling sharp shooter Ray Allen? Will Rondo be able to shine and out duel Farmar and Fisher or will the Lakers duo overpower the young point guard? Can Perkins contend with Gasol in the paint? Which team wants it more?
Your guess is as good as mine at this point, but one thing is certain, starting with game 1 on Thursday night, this series should be very exciting to watch.
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