VilaWeb - Diari escola: The Lakers-Celtics Rivalry

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divendres, 4 d'abril de 2025

> Two Teams...

> ...Two Cities

> Maximum Rivalry in the 1980s

dijous, 12 de juny de 2008

In the NBA (the US basketball league) there is a rivalry that tops all others, the oldest and the most legendary of all. It is the rivalry between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics, the two teams with the highest number of championships to their names and which are currently playing out the NBA Finals.

This is a long-awaited final: the last time the two teams met in the final was in 1987, when Los Angeles triumphed. There is an added attraction for Catalan fans, the presence of Pau Gasol, signed by the Lakers in the middle of the season. The Catalan centre, who previously played for the Memphis Grizzlies, has been a key figure in the Lakers' success over the last four months.

The final is the best of seven matches. Two have already been played at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, both matches being won by the local side (98-88 and 108-102).

Today sees the third match, to be played at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. If necessary, the last two matches will be played at TD Banknorth Garden.

! Actualització el 18/06/2008 a les 07:00

VilaWeb: Els Celtics, campions de l'NBA.
VilaWeb: Els Lakers forcen el sisè partit de la final de l'NBA.
VilaWeb: Els Celtics tornen a batre els Lakers i es posen a un partit de la victòria.
VilaWeb: Ajustada victòria dels Lakers de Gasol al tercer partit de la final de l'NBA.

+ VilaWeb Nit: Gasol entra a la final més mítica de l'NBA.
+ Webs relacionades dins Nosaltres.Cat: Bàsquet.
+ Basketball Hall of Fame: amb seu a Springfield (Massachusetts, EUA), bressol del bàsquet.

Two Teams...

+ Two matches have already been played in Boston.

The Celtics have won sixteen NBA championships, more than any other team, although the last time was in 1986. Behind them are the Lakers, with 14 championships, the last of which was won in 2002. Boston's key players are Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, who played a decisive role in the first match of the final. The Lakers star trio comprises Kobe Bryant, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, the first Catalan to play in a final of the world's leading basketball league.

...Two Cities

+ Los Angeles and Boston have different profiles.

It is said that Boston Celtics' game is more straightforward than that of the Los Angeles Lakers', which is seen as more spectacular. Maybe this has something to do with the character of each of the cities. Boston, the Massachusetts state capital, on the east coast, is one of the oldest cities in the US, with a great commercial and cultural tradition (very near is the highly prestigious Harvard University). Los Angeles, in the state of California, on the west coast, is an immense city, made up of people from very varied backgrounds. Los Angeles is the capital of the US film industry, with its headquarters in the district of Hollywood.

Maximum Rivalry in the 1980s

+ Former players Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.

The Lakers-Celtic rivalry dates back to the start of the 1960s, but became more intense in the 1980s, when the Lakers won five championships against the Celtics' three. The Lakers were led by Magic Johnson and the Celtics by Larry Bird, two of the best players of all time. The NBA's popularity shot up as a result of the two teams' intense and well-balanced duels, which were followed all over the world.

MATERIALS

NBA
Format:Web
La lliga de bàsquet dels Estats Units. La pàgina informa profusament de la final Celtics-Lakers.
Los Angeles Lakers
Format:Web
Pàgina oficial.
Boston Celtics
Format:Web
Pàgina igualment oficial.
Pau Gasol
Format:Web
Pàgina oficial interactiva. En català, anglès i espanyol.

QUE HO SABIES?

Out of the ten NBA finals they have played, the Celtics have won eight and the Lakers two.
The Celtics have the record for the highest number of consecutive wins: eight, between 1959 and 1966.
In terms of championships, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are followed by the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls won six championships during the 1990s, under the lead of Michael Jordan, considered by many as one of the best basketball players of all time.