It's Just Another Game

It was an accepted fact during the 1980s that not only were the Celtics and Lakers playing for pride and bragging rights during their regular season meetings, they were vying for a psychological edge in the Finals. Not eveyone remembers that now, as several Celtics fans downplayed the Christmas Day Defeat as meaningless.

Bill Burt goes old school on us here, telling the Celtics to win or else.

Since Larry Bird's rookie season (1979-80), when the Celtics and Lakers officially became an "item" again after a decade-long hiatus, history has shown that their regular season match-up is a pretty good barometer for things to come in May and June.

The Lakers won championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988. The Celtics, which won the Atlantic Division in eight of nine seasons from 1980 to 1988, were 2-8 in regular season games versus the Lakers in each of those years. When the Celtics won championships in 1981, 1984 and 1986, they were 4-2 in six regular season games versus the Lakers.

"When we beat the Lakers it always gave us confidence," said former Celtic Cornbread Maxwell. "The thing I remember most about regular season games with the Lakers is that they were a measuring stick for us. And we were for them, too." A champion will not be crowned tonight at the Garden. But history says that the "championship" seed could be planted, especially if the Lakers win.

"No question, you don't want to be swept by any west coast team, especially the Lakers," said ML Carr. "Doc (Rivers) will not have to give a motivational speech. Everybody knows what's at stake. ... All I know is that if anybody on either team says this is just another game, they're lying."