A classic 80s rivalry is renewed
Celtics. Lakers. The shorts are longer. The socks are shorter. No "Larry Legend" or "Magic" but Jack Nicholson is still sitting courtside. The NBA Finals tip off tonight, and at first glance, it's the 80s all over again. (Is this a great country or what?)
From 1980-88, eight of the nine NBA championships belonged to one of these two teams (three for Boston, five for Los Angeles). As hoops fans get ready for another chapter in the storied rivalry, here's the ultimate top 5 list as written by Stuck in the 80s uber-fan (and Celtic lunatic) Jane, who would like to give thanks to espn.com and nba.com for helping her memory.
TOP 5 CELTICS-LAKERS MOMENTS OF THE 80s:
5. 1985 NBA Finals, Game 1: It was supposed to be redemption time for the Lakers after their crumbling performance in the '84 finals. Turns out the vaunted rematch was a massacre. The Lakers got their lunch handed to them, 148-114. The hero of the game was reserve forward Scott Wedman, who went 11 for 11 in field goal attempts, which included four three-pointers.
4. 1985 NBA Finals, Game 6: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar scored 29 points as the Lakers defeated the Celtics 111-100 to win the 1985 Championship Series. What was significant about this win? It was the first time an opponent had sealed an NBA championship in Boston Garden - and the first time the Lakers had bested the Celtics in the Finals. Averaging 30.2 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 2.0 blocks, the 38-year-old Abdul-Jabbar was named the series MVP.
3. 1984 NBA Finals, Game 5: The thermometer read 97 degrees in the Boston Garden at the start of Game 5 ... indoors. (Can you imagine the beer sales?) The heat only seemed to energize Larry Bird, as he racked up 34 points in a 121-103 Celtics win. Dennis Johnson, the late great Celtics point guard, dubbed it "the best game we ever played."
2. 1987 NBA Finals, Game 4: One point down in the final moments of the game, Magic Johnson took the win for the Lakers with what he called a running "junior, junior, junior skyhook" through to the hoop. The 107-106 win put the Lakers up 3-1 in the series, which they won in six games. Not surprisingly, Magic's performance gave him his third NBA Finals MVP nod.
1. 1984 NBA Finals, Game 4: It was the "Foul Heard Round the World." Trying to slow down the steamrolling Lakers, Kevin McHale clotheslined Kurt Rambis to the ground on a breakaway layup during the second period. Talk about shifting momentum: The Lakers spent the rest of the game looking for their mojo, ultimately blowing a 5-point lead and sending the game into overtime. The Celtics won, 129-125 in overtime, thanks to a Larry Bird game-clinching shot.
[AP photo]
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Great list from Jane. This year's finals won't match any of the ones from the 80s.
Posted by: Bassnote | June 05, 2008 at 04:13 PM
I'll be shocked if I watch 5 seconds of this year's finals. But I'd love to rewatch any of the 80s games.
Posted by: Spears | June 05, 2008 at 04:20 PM
Fenomenal,Jane,my Celtics mate.I started watching the NBA a little after the events of that list.I started watching on the Detroit Pistons bad boys era.I`ve always been a Celtic fan,thanks to good old Larry Bird.After Benfica,my beloved football team here in Portugal,and Manchester United,the Celtics score a third place in my heart when it comes to sport teams,so GO CELTICS!
Posted by: Miguel | June 05, 2008 at 04:22 PM
When it comes to NBA finals,we have Celtics-8 Lakers-2 so far. 9-2 after this final.
Posted by: Miguel | June 05, 2008 at 04:24 PM
As I sit here in my Ray Allen t-shirt (hoping he really finds his shot tonight), looking at the side by side photos of the original Celtics Big Three and V2.0 that are on my desk, I have to agree with you Bassnote. I don't think we'll see any moments that will match the ones we were treated to in the '80s. The game is different, the players are different.
If I get bored, I'm just gonna watch the McHale clothesline on repeat. That never gets old. And Brent Musburger, too!
Posted by: jane | June 05, 2008 at 04:27 PM
I miss the 150-135 games from the "Showtime" era. Always fun to watch.
Let me be the first in this thread to say Go Lakers!
Posted by: Brad | June 05, 2008 at 04:46 PM
Brad, if I were a betting woman (which I am, actually, but I gave up betting on sports after my Minnesota Vikings lost their fourth Super Bowl back in the late '70s) I would engage you in a friendly wager.
However, as much as I love my boys in green, it would be a sporting bet at best, as I'm not sure that they are going to take this one. Kobe & Co. look too darn good and you never know which KG/Ray Allen is going to show up.
Posted by: jane | June 05, 2008 at 04:54 PM
not a big basketball fan, but i did enjoy the lakers/celtics matchups during the 80s. watching bird and magic was always entertaining.
Posted by: CHAD | June 05, 2008 at 09:07 PM
Instead of watching t he finals, I decided to watch an old NBA video of Larry Bird highlights. Larry Legend was always my guy (Jordan came in second).
Posted by: Bassnote | June 05, 2008 at 09:46 PM
I've got the game on all the tellys in the house and am listening to the Celtics radio network broadcast stream on nba.com, plus the constantly updated stat page on espn.com
So far, so good. Steady, solid game (save for the fact that Paul Pierce just picked up his third foul...) *knock on wood*
Posted by: jane | June 05, 2008 at 10:05 PM
Jane, I hear you. My best sports betting story is about a bet I didn't place.
I'm in Vegas every spring for a trade show. In 2002 we were walking through the sports book at the Mirage and my coworkers were trying to talk me into putting $100 on the Angels (I am a huge fan) to win the World Series.
The odds were several hundred to one. I didn't place the bet. They won.
I get reminded of that every year.
(I was still happy, in 2002. Oh yes.)
Posted by: Brad | June 05, 2008 at 10:28 PM
That's a heartbreaking, yet great story Brad. You got the best payoff, though, with that win.
After losing my lunch money and allowance to an obnoxious Raiders fan named Charles (I was in middle school at the height of my sports gambling days) I decided then that betting on teams I was passionate about wasn't worth it. No sense in breaking my heart and my bank.
Posted by: jane | June 05, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Happy, happy, joy, joy. My song today.
And they showed lots of what they called "vintage" footage on during the telecast, including McHale's clothesline and Magic's junior skyhook. So cool.
Posted by: jane | June 06, 2008 at 08:58 AM
While watching the morning news I saw that your boys won. Congrats!
I haven't followed basketball since the Michael Jordon/Scottie Pippin romance ended.
Posted by: Marissa | June 06, 2008 at 09:03 AM
Not a sports fan at all. Nope. Not at all.
But damn if I didn't play Jordan VS. Bird: One on One on my Commodore 64 back in the day.
Posted by: Paul Butler | June 06, 2008 at 10:58 PM