With the Los Angles Lakers and Boston Celtics preparing to square off Thursday night in Los Angeles for the NBA championship, you might be curious how these combatants have fared over the years, dating back to 1959.
According to Mark Broussard, Senior Director of Communications at the NBA, including their time in Minneapolis, the Lakers and Celtics have met 272 times in all, with Boston leading the all-time series, 152-120.
The Celtics have beaten the Lakers in nine of their last 11 championship matchups, losing only in 1985 and 1987.
So as we prepare to enjoy another epic battle between these two celebrated franchises, here is a look back of the deciding games of previous championship clashes.
Celtic/Laker Clashes: 1959-2008
April 9, 1959: Bill Sherman, Frank Ramsey and Tom Heinsohn of the Celtics, all scoring in double-figures, overwhelmed Minneapolis as Boston wins Game 4, 118-113, sweeping the Lakers in four games to claim their second NBA championship in three years, and became the first team in NBA history to go through the playoffs undefeated.
In addition to sweeping the series, the Celtics extended their winning streak over the Lakers to 22 games, dating back to March 1, 1957.
1959 was also the first finals in which an opponent had been swept in four games.
NOTE: While in Minneapolis, the Lakers won three straight NBA titles from 1952-1954.
April 18, 1962: It took seven games, a dramatic overtime, and brilliant clutch shooting from Bill Russell and Sam Jones, before the Celtics claimed their fourth consecutive NBA championship, winning game 7, 110-107, before a capacity crowd of 13,909 fans in Boston Garden.
Russell, the league’s MVP, pulled down 44 rebounds in Game 7, tying a playoff record, while scoring 30 points.
April 24, 1963: Bob Cousey ends his distinguished 13-year basketball career by leading the Boston Celtics to a 112-109 Game 6 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at the Sports Arena, giving the Celtics back-to-back championships over the Lakers and its fifth straight NBA title, a league record.
In the decisive game, John Havlicek matched Cousey’s 18 points, while Tom Heinsohn led the team with 22 points, which included knocking down four key free throws in the closing minutes to put the Celtics up 112-107.
Jerry West led all Lakers’ scorers with 32 points; his teammate Elgin Baylor didn’t come alive until the second half, finishing with 28 points after being limited to nine first half points.
April 25, 1965: After winning their seventh straight NBA title, many wondered if there was any stopping Red Auerbach and his mighty Boston Celtics, who crushed the Los Angles Lakers 129-96 in Game 5 to win yet another championship over the Lakers, becoming the first franchise in any professional sport to win seven championships in a row, dating back to 1957, when the Celtics beat the St Louis Hawks.
The Celtics coach was so confident of victory that he fired up a cigar eight minutes before the final buzzer; while tossing more cigars to the frenzied fans seated behind the bench amidst a sea of green gathered in the Boston Garden
April 28, 1966: The Boston Celtics defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 95-93 at Boston Garden to win their 8th straight NBA title; giving the Celtics their ninth NBA title in 10 years as the cigar-chomping Celtic coach Red Auerbach ends his coaching career, going out as one of the most celebrated basketball coaches in NBA history.
Bill Russell turned in another mammoth performance for the Celtics, scoring 25 points while pulling down 32 rebounds.
May 2, 1968: The Lakers again can’t overcome a dominant Boston Celtics team as John Havlicek took to the Lakers defense like a knife through butter, scoring 40 points, including draining 12 consecutive free throws to lead the Celtics to a convincing 124-109 drubbing over the Lakers in Los Angeles, handing Boston its ninth NBA title in 10 years
Lakers’ high-scoring guard Jerry West, slowed down by a twisted ankle, was limited to 22 points
May 5, 1969: In another sea-saw battle, the Boston Celtics held off a late surge by the Los Angles Lakers in Inglewood Calif to take Game 7, 108-106, winning their 11th NBA title in 13 years and the second for Bill Russell since being named player-coach.
Despite the addition of Wilt Chamberlin, the Lakers couldn’t overcome a dominant Boston team many considered too old to beat the Western Division champs.
John Havlicek (26 points) and Em Bryant (20 points) had the hot hands for Boston, while Jerry West playing through a leg injury-posted a game high 42 points for the Lakers.
The Celtics win marked their seventh title playoff win over the ill-fated Lakers.
June 12, 1984: An ecstatic worked-up crowd in the Boston Garden, making choking gestures to actor Jack Nicholson, watched the Boston Celtics win their 15th NBA title, winning another decisive Game 7 battle against their hated Western Division rivals, the Los Angles Lakers, 111-102.
The Celtics win was powered by Larry Bird who racked up 20 points, 12 rebounds with three assists, and was named series MVP after finishing the seven game series with an impressive 192 points, 98 rebounds, 25 assists and 15 steals.
June 9, 1985: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, playing in his 16th professional season, and in full command of his signature sky-hook, guides the Los Angeles Lakers to their first NBA title over the Boston Celtics, scoring 29 points as the Lakers overwhelm their rivals in six games. The series win marked the Lakers third title in six seasons.
Prior to the Lakers championship win, the only other time the Celtics lost in a NBA Final came in 1958, when they lost to the St. Louis Hawks.
The Celtics’ backcourt of Dennis Johnson and Danny Ainge, only managed a combined 6 of 31 shots, while their 7-foot center, Robert Parish, had an equally pitiful game, hitting on only five of his 14 shots with only two buckets in the second half.
The only real bright spot for the Celtics came from Kevin McHale who managed 32 points; Larry Bird playing injured through most of the series (bone chips in his right elbow) scored 28 points and 10 rebounds.
June 14, 1987: The Los Angeles Lakers become the team of the 80’s, winning their fourth title of the decade (10th in franchise history) after overpowering the Celtics in Game 6, 106-93, at the Forum in Los Angeles.
Magic Johnson led the younger more aggressive Laker assault, averaging 26.2 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds during the six-game series, while flashing what he referred to as his ‘‘junior, junior skyhook'' in a crucial Game 4 Laker win in the Boston Garden.
Johnson was named the series MVP, becoming the first player to earn MVP honors three times during a championship series.
June 17, 2008: Breaking a 22-year title drought, the Boston Celtics claimed their 17th NBA title against the Los Angeles Lakers, of all teams, with a punishing 131-92 Game 6 win at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston
''Somewhere, Red is lighting up a cigar’’, NBA commissioner David Stern said while presenting the Larry O'Brien trophy to the Celtics’ owner Wyc Grousbeck, and Danny Ainge, the general manager with former Celtic greats Bill Russell, John Havlicek, and JoJo White in attendance.
Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen led the Boston massacre with 26 points apiece, while Boston comrade Rajon Rondo, in only his second year in a Celtic uniform, pitched in with 21 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
Celtics captain Paul Pierce, who scored 17 points and 10 assists was named the series MVP
-Bill Lucey
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Source: National Basketball Association; The New York Times Historic Archives
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