One of the greatest rivalries in NBA history was renewed in the 2010 Finals.
The Celtics beat the Lakers in the 2008 Finals 4-2. The Lakers won the championship in 2009 and a collision course of the previous two champions was bound to happen.
The history of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry goes back to 1959 when Bill Russell’s Celtics beat the Lakers in a sweep. The Celtics won the first 8 matchups against the Lakers.
Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul Jabar had other plans in 1985.
Magic Johnson’s famous hook shot in game 4 sealed the win and eventually the series. The Lakers would beat the Celtics again in 1987 and glory to the city of Los Angeles was reclaimed.
The rivalry was renewed in the summer of 2007 when the Celtics acquired Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen. The Celtics now had the first big 3 of the modern era with Pierce, Garnett, and Allen. The Lakers had Kobe Bryant and then added All-star, Pau Gasol. The Celtics and the Lakers reached the Finals in 2008 and they proved to be too much for the Lakers. Kobe Bryant was motivated to get back to the finals and beat the Celtics.
Kobe Bryant got his wish in 2010. It was Bryant’s moment to beat the Celtics and be apart of history. The Lakers got to Game 7 and nobody could consistently make shots. The Lakers dominated the boards with a 53-40 advantage and 23 offensive rebounds.
The Lakers fought for every point in that game and won one of the greatest closeout games ever.
Featured Image: Pasquale Di Maio via Flickr
