The Boston Celtics captured their 46win against the season on Saturday night, defeating their bitter and most hated rival, the Los Angeles Lakers, 111-101.
The Celtics started the game rather slow by their standards but quickly picked up the pace and went into halftime with a four-point lead. The game was really won in the third quarter when the Celtics came out of the gates hot and allowed only 13 points to the Lakers.
While the Lakers made a comeback and came as close as four points with plenty of time left in the fourth quarter, the Celtics kept their distance and escaped with the win.
After the game, Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum spoke with the media and took a different approach when asked about the Boston- L.A. rivalry.
“The rivalry is alive.”
Jayson Tatum on Celtics-Lakers:
“The rivalry is alive.” 🍿
(via @NBA) pic.twitter.com/r7yoQ8jw8N
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 9, 2025
Tatum also told ESPN's Lisa Salters that the NBA is in a better place when Boston and L.A. are great teams.
“It’s an honor, the history and tradition. All the legends that wore this uniform and played in these battles. The NBA is in a better place in the Lakers and Celtics are good," said Tatum.
While Tatum is right, he had a different approach when asked about the rivalry between the Celtics and Lakers before Saturday's primetime game.
“I mean, I obviously understand the history between the Lakers and Celtics,” Tatum said. “I would say from my time in the league, I wouldn’t look at the Lakers as rivals. We only play them twice. The teams that we play over and over again in the playoffs -- Philly would be one of them, and the other teams as well.”
Nonetheless, Tatum is right. The NBA is in a much better place when two of its marquee teams are contending for titles. This rivalry is the best thing in the NBA, and no other rivalry in basketball comes close.
The Lakers and Celtics are the NBA's version of Ohio State-Michigan, Yankees-Red Sox, and Packers-Bears. The matchup will always mean something, especially when the two teams have some beef or meet in the NBA Finals for the ultimate prize.
There is a chance that these two teams are on a possible collision of meeting in the finals, not only for this season but possibly only for many to come if things pan out for both teams.
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