Dubai: Celtics vs Lakers. What more could a fan of the orange leather ask for — leprechauns, Laker Girls, Celtic ghosts, Jack Nicholson, bi-coastalness, genuine hatred — a rivalry on par with Yankees-Red Sox, Carolina-Duke and Colts-Patriots.
Just the mention of it is enough to ignite impassioned loyalty for one and unfettered scorn for the other.
While the world deals with seemingly apocalyptic doom from economic turmoil, oil spills, to a revival of piracy and the like — the basketball universe stands still for its two most storied franchises to square off.
The illustrious connotations are unmistakable; its historical significance unrivalled within the sport.
Starting today, the two most talked about franchises in the NBA lock horns for the 12th time, with the Celtics holding a 9-2 advantage over their west-coast rivals.
Both teams have combined to win 32 of the 63 NBA championships played so far, with Beantown holding a slim 17-15 title advantage over its Hollywood nemesis.
Following a 21-year layoff since they last faced each other, the 2008 finals saw a hungrier and more physical Celtics squad resoundingly outclassing a finesse Laker team. The convincing manner of their defeat seemingly propelled the Lakers over the Or ando Magic in the 2009 finals — while the injury-riddled Celtics failed to make it back.
The stage is now set for what should be another defining chapter in one of the most storied rivalries in sports. This "sexy match-up" as the Lakers' Kobe Bryant calls it, is filled with appetising drama and tantalising subplots.
While their 2008 meeting was a rekindling of the classic rivalry, this time around there is recent history to spice things up.
Between now and the culmination of the series, expect every nook and cranny of the finals to be deconstructed, then reconstructed and taken apart again for good measure.
While Kobe's push for ring number 5-1 behind Michael Jordan- will surely dominate headlines, the Celtics believe their tenacious defence will be a deciding factor once again, and with its ageing ‘Big 3' — Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen — are keen to make the most of every opportunity they get at winning another championship.
In the basketball universe, it doesn't get any better than this.
Schedule
(All times UAE)
Game 1 June 4, at Los Angeles, 5am
Game Two June 7 at Los Angeles 4am
Game Three June 9, at Boston, 5am
Game Four June 11, at Boston, 5am
Game Five June 14, at Boston, 4am
Game Six June 16, at Los Angeles, 5am
Game Seven June 18, at Los Angeles, 5am
(* If teams are tied)
