NBA History: Celtics vs. Lakers Rivalry
Larry Bird and the Celtics Prevail Over Earvin Johnson and the Lakers
1984 NBA Finals: A Classic Showdown
In the annals of NBA history, the Celtics-Lakers rivalry holds a special place. The two teams, representing the Eastern and Western Conferences, respectively, have faced off in the NBA Finals a record 12 times.
One of the most memorable matchups occurred in the 1984 NBA Finals, which saw the Boston Celtics emerge victorious over the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Celtics, led by the legendary Larry Bird, finished the regular season with a league-best 62-20 record and earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Lakers, featuring the charismatic Earvin "Magic" Johnson, had a strong regular season of their own, finishing with a 54-28 record and earning the third seed in the Western Conference.
The Finals series was a hard-fought battle, with both teams exchanging wins and losses throughout the seven-game affair. However, in the end, the Celtics proved to be too much for the Lakers. Bird, who averaged 27.4 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game in the series, was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.
The Celtics' victory in the 1984 NBA Finals was a significant moment in the rivalry between the two teams. It marked the third time that the Celtics had defeated the Lakers in the championship round, further cementing their status as one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
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