NBA Finals 2011: Power Ranking the Greatest Boston Celtics vs LA Lakers Series
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers are arguably two of the more successful franchises in NBA history in terms of racking up NBA championships.
Together, the two teams have won 33 NBA championships, combining for more than half the total amount of championships since the league began in 1947.
After a drought of 21 seasons, the Lakers and Paul Pierce-led Celtics would finally meet in the NBA Finals again, as the Celtics would take the 2008 NBA Finals 4-2.
Two seasons later, the Kobe Bryant-led Lakers would get their revenge, overcoming a 3-2 deficit to win the series in seven games.
The Boston Celtics have met 12 times in the NBA Finals, eight of which came in a span of 28 years. Here are the power rankings for all 12 matchups between two of the more historic franchises in NBA history.
No. 12: 1959 NBA Finals
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Bill Russell was arguably the greatest player to wear green and white, winning 11 consecutive championships in his Hall of Fame career.
In the 1959 NBA Finals, Russell's play on the glass was key. In the series, Russell would pull down a whopping 29.5 rebounds a contest. His record-setting play would make for a fairly easy sweep of the Minneapolis Lakers.
It would be the only meeting between the Boston Celtics and Minneapolis Lakers before the Lakers would eventually move the franchise to Los Angeles.
Head coach of the Boston Celtics Red Auerbach got the best of Lakers coach John Kundla in the 1959 NBA Finals.
No. 11: 1968 NBA Finals
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After splitting games in both Boston and Los Angeles, home-court advantage would help the Celtics edge out the Lakers in six games.
It was the Celtics' 10th championship in 12 seasons. The Lakers were led by strong play by Elgin Baylor and Jerry West, who together would average nearly 60 points a contest.
The Boston Celtics would finish the series on the road, winning 124-109 in Los Angeles. It should be noted that John Havlicek's strong play offensively was crucial in getting the lift over the Lakers in the series.
No. 10: 1963 NBA Finals
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In another series that went to six games, the Boston Celtics would take the series over the Los Angeles Lakers 4-2 in the 1963 NBA Finals.
Despite the Celtics getting off to a 2-0 start and a eventually a 3-1 series lead, the Lakers made the series as competitive as any, losing three of the four games by just three points.
Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, Tommy Heinsohn and Sam Jones would help lead this Boston Celtics team over the strong L.A. Lakers ball club.
It would be the Celtics' sixth championship as an organization, as well as their fifth consecutive NBA championship.
No. 9: 1965 NBA Finals
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The Boston Celtics would beat the Los Angeles Lakers handily in the NBA Finals, taking the series 4-1 in five games.
The Celtics would take home their eighth consecutive championship, in a run that would ultimately last an NBA-record 11 seasons.
Led by tough play on both ends from Bill Russell, the Celtics would handle the Lakers as well as they had in any NBA Finals meeting between the two teams.The Celtics would go 8-4 in the postseason, winning all seven games at home.
No. 8: 1969 NBA Finals
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In a postseason where Hall of Famer and recognized NBA legend, Jerry West, would play some of the best basketball of his career, the L.A. Lakers would fall just short to the Boston Celtics.
The Celtics would take the series 4-3, winning in a tough seven games. A Sam Jones buzzer beater in Game 4 of the series would help the Celtics to tie the series at two games a piece, eventually leading to a momentum switch in the series.
In a series mostly highlighted by top-notch play from West and Bill Russell, Jones came up big for the Celtics when they needed it most. It would be the third NBA Finals series between the two in the 1960s to go to seven games.
It was also the last championship to Bill Russell's name. The NBA legend would record his 11th championship this season, more than any other player in the history of the game.
No. 7: 1985 NBA Finals
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The Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers would meet three times in the decade. This year in particular the Lakers would have the clear edge over the Celtics, taking the series 4-2.
After not being able to get over the hump before, the Lakers would overpower in the Celtics in this six-game series.
The Celtics would score an NBA Finals-record 148 points in a Game 1 blowout victory, as the Lakers impressively would overcome the defeat and send the Celtics home empty-handed.
No. 6: 2008 NBA Finals
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In the first year uniting Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in what would become known as the Big Three, the Boston Celtics beat the L.A. Lakers 4-2 in the 2008 NBA Finals.
It would be the first time the Lakers and Celtics would meet in 21 years in an NBA Finals.
After falling to injury in Game 1 of the series, team captain Paul Pierce would come back and hit two three-pointers to help win Game 1 for the C's. It was arguably the turning point of the series, as before the Lakers were looking ready to take the series lead early.
Paul Pierce would win NBA Finals MVP, while Kobe Bryant put up an exceptional performance on behalf of the L.A. Lakers.
No. 5: 2010 NBA Finals
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In what would be arguably one of the more competitive meeting between the L.A. Lakers and Boston Celtics, Kobe Bryant and the Lakers would come back from a 3-2 deficit to take the series from the Celtics in seven games.
The seven-game series would go back to Los Angeles, where the Lakers seemed to get it going when they needed to. A late fourth quarter run, fueled by Kobe Bryant, would ultimately send the Celtics home packing in Game 7.
This was the most recent NBA Finals meeting between the two teams, and Kobe Bryant would take home NBA Finals MVP honors.
Other notables in the series were Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, who helped fuel the Celtics to their 3-2 lead in the series. In the final game of the series, exceptional play from Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol would prove to be the difference, as the two controlled the paint and helped Bryant in what was an epic Game 7 victory.
No. 4: 1966 NBA Finals
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In this epic NBA Finals series the Boston Celtics would get the best of the Los Angeles Lakers, as the Celtics edged out the Lakers in Game 7.
The last four games of the series would feature margins of victory no greater than eight points, as the two teams would gut out this series in a memorable one. The Celtics would take Game 7 95-93, barely winning the NBA title.
In the final game Bill Russell would record 32 rebounds to help grab the victory. Auerbach would finish with what was at the time an NBA-record nine championships.
Baylor and West continued to prove their worth, giving the Celtics trouble throughout. Baylor averaged 14.1 rebounds per game while West would score the ball like none other. West averaged a whopping 34.2 points per game in the 1966 NBA Playoffs.
No. 3: 1987 NBA Finals
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Oh the glory days. Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Robert Parish and Dennis Johnson on one side and Magic Johnson, Kareem "The Dream" Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy on the other.
Talk about a series to remember.
The plethora of talent featured in the matchup made for a tough, exciting series. The Lakers would seize victory in the series, taking the NBA championship 4-2. The memorable game-winner from Magic in Game 4 helped put the Lakers up two games in the series, a lead the Celtics could never catch up to.
Magic led every player in the postseason with 12.2 assists per game, while Larry Legend scored 27 points per game.
No. 2: 1984 NBA Finals
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This iconic image is one that represented the 1980s to its fullest. The Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers would meet three times in the decade, with the 1984 NBA Finals being the first of the meetings between the two organizations.
In this epic NBA Finals matchup, both teams willed their way to victory. Two games would be battled out in overtime, while the great rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird also helped make for a great series for fans to watch.
In the end the Celtics would pull out the series 4-3, winning their second championship of the decade. It would be the second of three, with their third coming in the 1986 NBA Finals.
In Game 7 the more unlikely of heroes came to play for the Celtics, as Cedric Maxwell led the team in scoring in the victory. Magic Johnson would record 15 assists in the loss.
No. 1: 1962 NBA Finals
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In arguably one of the better NBA Finals played by any two teams in the history of the NBA, the Boston Celtics would win a Game 7 thriller over the L.A. Lakers, taking the series 4-3.
It was remembered most for the thriller of an overtime played in Boston, as the teams were trading baskets down the stretch. It would end with the Celtics holding on to a lead, as Lakers guard Frank Selvy had missed what most considered a "sure" basket.
Bill Russell would finish with an NBA Finals-record 40 rebounds in the Game 7 contest.
The missed shot helped the Celtics to seize victory in this competitive series. It would be the start of six consecutive losses to the Celtics in the NBA Finals in the 1960s.
Also notable, Elgin Baylor recorded an NBA Finals-record of 61 points in a game, ultimately helping the Lakers to take Game 5 of the series. Today the April 14, 1962 game still stands as the greatest scoring performance by a single player in an NBA Finals game.
It was not only the greatest championship played between the two teams, but arguably the best of any NBA Finals in league history.
