This will be the first time in many years I am looking forward to a NBA Championship series. Most years, I had no real emotional connection but now there is one.
LOS ANGELES VS. BOSTON
No two teams have squared off on as many occasions in the NBA Finals as the Lakers and Celtics. They have faced each other 10 times, the first coming back in 1958-59 when Boston knocked off the Minneapolis Lakers in four straight. The Celtics won the next six series - all taking place in the 1960s. The final three matchups occurred in the '80s, with Los Angeles pulling out a pair of championships during the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird era. Incidentally, the last battle between these two teams, won by the Lakers in 1987, produced the highest TV ratings ever for an NBA Finals not including Michael Jordan.
Most experts feel Los Angeles has the edge, especially with the 2-3-2 format, in the championship round. The Lakers were the only team in the West to win four road games this postseason, and since they failed to lose a contest at home, all they would have to do to win this series in five is to split the first pair in Boston.
After being favored to take the title for much of the year, Boston now finds itself as the underdog heading into the championship round. The Celtics, who were the even money favorites to win the whole enchilada at the All-Star break, had jumped up to 3-2 at the end of the regular season. Their odds have risen once again to 8-5 against Los Angeles.
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