Phil Jackson-coached teams are 41-0 when winning Game 1 of a playoff series. Overall, Jackson’s 190 playoff victories make him the winningest coach in NBA postseason history. Jackson’s nine titles (in 10 Finals appearances) as a coach, tie him with Boston’s legendary Red Auerbach for most all-time.
During the 2007-08 season, the Celtics swept the season series with the Lakers 2-0. Both games, however, were played in December prior to the Lakers dealing for Pau Gasol.
This is the 11th time the Celtics and Lakers are meeting in The Finals, the most time two teams have met in the championship series. (The second-most meetings belong to the Lakers and 76ers, who have met in The Finals six times.) Below are the outcomes of the Celtics and Lakers’ previous 10 meetings and each team’s leading scorer in the series.
1958-1959: Boston Celtics defeat Minneapolis Lakers 4-0. Leading scorers: BOS – Tom Heinsohn 24.3 ppg; MIN – Elgin Baylor 22.8 ppg.
1961-1962: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-3. Leading scorers: BOS – Bill Russell 22.9 ppg; L.A. Elgin Baylor 40.6 ppg.
1962-1963: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-2. Leading scorers: BOS – Sam Jones 24.7 ppg; L.A. Elgin Baylor 33.8 ppg.
1964-1965: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-1. Leading scorers: BOS – Sam Jones 27.8 ppg; L.A. Jerry West 33.8 ppg.
1965-1966: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-3. Leading scorers: BOS – Bill Russell 23.6 ppg; L.A. Jerry West 33.9 ppg.
1967-1968: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-2. Leading scorers: BOS – John Havlicek 27.3 ppg; L.A. – Jerry West 31.3 ppg.
1968-1969: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-3. Leading scorers: BOS – John Havlicek 28.3 ppg; L.A. – Jerry West 37.9 ppg.
1983-1984: Boston Celtics defeat Los Angeles Lakers 4-3. Leading scorers: BOS – Larry Bird 27.4 ppg; L.A. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 26.6 ppg.
1984-1985: Los Angeles Lakers defeat Boston Celtics 4-2. Leading scorers: L.A. – Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 25.7 ppg; BOS – Kevin Mc Hale 26.0 ppg.
1986-1987: Los Angeles Lakers defeat Boston Celtics 4-2. Leading scorers: L.A. ? Magic Johnson 26.2 ppg; BOS ? Larry Bird 24.2 ppg.
The last time these two storied franchises met in The Finals was 1987. Finals MVP Magic Johnson’s 16-point, 19-assist, eight-rebound effort helped the Lakers claim their fourth title of the decade with a 106-93 Game 6 win over the Celtics.
All time in The Finals, the Celtics are 70-46 (.603); the Lakers are 79-82 (.491). The Celtics have won 16 of 19 championship series; the Lakers 14 of 28.
Click here for significant dates from previous Celtics-Lakers Finals.
The Celtics are only the 11th team — the first since the Nets in 2001-02 — to advance to The Finals a season after missing the playoffs:
1948-49 Washington Capitols
1955-56 Philadelphia Warriors*
1958-59 Minneapolis Lakers
1963-64 San Francisco Warriors
1966-67 San Francisco Warriors
1974-75 Golden State Warriors*
1975-76 Phoenix Suns
1976-77 Portland Trail Blazers*
1977-78 Seattle SuperSonics
2001-02 New Jersey Nets
2007-08 Boston Celtics
* Indicates teams that won title
All time in The Finals, the Celtics are 70-46 (.603); the Lakers are 79-82 (.491). The Celtics have won 16 of 19 championship series; the Lakers 14 of 28.
– NBA News
