Lakers-Celtics rivalry: were the 80s way more fun than Celtics-Lakers in the 21st century?

Celtics-Lakers in the 1980s was way more fun than Celtics-Lakers in the 21st century.

Let’s start with physical play. Everybody in Los Angeles thought it was a big deal when Ron Artest and Paul Pierce wrestled one another to the ground in the first minute of Game 1.

The Boston Celtics have 17 boast championships while the Los Angeles Lakers are not far behind with 15 of their own. That accounts for 32 of the 63 league championships–more than half–of the championships in the league’s history.

Big deal. In 1984 Kevin McHale damn near decapitated Kurt Rambis on a breakaway in Game 4. McHale’s takedown changed the series. The Celtics were down, two games to one, and had been thrashed in Game 3 in the Forum. The McHale clothesline brought the Celtics to life and made the Lakers timid (it also resulted in a major rule change).

Talk about domination and that is just the franchise element. Present time, we are talking about some of the NBA’s finest ever to play the game.

The Celtics’ starting roster of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins make up the gritty, fighting feisty Celtics that just don’t quit.

Cedric Maxwell put it this way: “The Lakers had been like little kids, running across the street without looking. After that play, they were like people who push the ‘cross’ button, wait for the signal to cross, then look both ways before stepping into the street.”

Ah, Max. He was one of the great taunters of all time. When James Worthy missed a free throw during the ‘84 finals, Max crossed the lane and put his hand to his throat. The choke sign. Max could teach today’s players a thing or two about taunting your opponent.

There was commotion at the Staples Center last Friday when Pau Gasol made an innocent, accurate statement about Kevin Garnett. He said that KG “lost some explosiveness. He’s more of a jump-shooter now … ”

Smacktalk. That’s nothing compared to 1984 when M.L. Carr called the Lakers “Fakers.”

Garnett might have been a little peeved at Gasol’s remark, but today’s Celtics and Lakers doesn’t have the passion and emotion we witnessed a quarter of a century ago. In those days, the C’s and Lakers really hated each other.

Meanwhile, the Lakers have Kobe Bryant, arguably the best player in the game right now, the massive frontcourt of Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, combined with a Robert Horry-esque Derek Fisher and the addition of the offensive assassin, Ron Artest.

This is a finals showdown where the best teams in the NBA are the last two standing in a brutal match, facing off for the coveted NBA Championship in their second showdown in three years.

The 1980s Lakers always thought the Celtics were playing dirty tricks. They thought Red Auerbach was behind all of it. When the Lakers were awakened by a fire alarm in the middle of the night in their Boston hotel, Lakers coach Pat Riley suspected Red. There was no air conditioning in the old Boston Garden and Game 5 of the Finals was played on a humid, 95-degree night in Boston.

Riley said Red had the heat turned up in the visitor’s locker room at the Garden. In the middle of Game 5, a Celtic victory, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went to the bench for a break and sucked on and oxygen mask.

After the Celtics lost game 6 in Los Angeles, Maxwell told Dennis Johnson, “Let’s kill them on Tuesday. Let’s kill those freaks.”

When the Celtics won Game 7 back at the Garden, the never-gracious Auerbach said, “You guys were talking about a dynasty the Lakers had. But what dynasty? Here’s the only dynasty right here. This team.”

In a book by Scott Ostler and Steve Springer, former Laker Michael Cooper admitted, “They (Celtics) don’t talk so much anymore, but they did in 1984. And I’ll tell you, they backed it up. They were the Muhammad Alis of basketball … you do a little talking to see where the opponent’s heart is, try to intimidate ‘em.”

A lot of that hated went away when Auerbach died. Red would have made today’s Finals more fun. He hated Phil Jackson and he hated the idea that Jackson might someday win more championships than Red.

The time to watch the NBA is now. Who knows when this kind of matchup will happen again?

Tell me that wasn’t more fun?