A Fresh Start
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Thanks to the dominating play of the Big Three on June 17, the Celtics won Game 6 of the 2008 finals by a score of 131-92 to earn their 17th title and improve their record against the Lakers in championship play to 9-2. The 39-point margin was the largest of any championship-clinching game in history. Allen sank seven three-pointers to tie a finals record and Pierce was named MVP.
It was clear in 2008 that basketball had changed since the championship match-ups between Boston and LA in the 1980s. Alluding to McHale’s clothesline foul against Rambis in the 1984 finals, Kobe Bryant observed: “You can’t put wood on people like they used to back then.” It also was apparent that twenty year old millionaires are more inclined to fraternize than to engage in blood feuds like their predecessors.
What was surprising, though, was just how little had changed with respect to the teams’ fundamental approaches to the game. Boston still stressed a blue collar work ethic and team play and its defense was tenacious and formidable, just as it had been during the Bird and Russell eras. The offense still featured a deadly inside-outside game, this time with Garnett, Pierce, and Rondo. For their part, the Lakers continued to feature a high-octane offense just as they had during the days of Johnson and of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West before him. Only now it revolved around Bryant and his ability both to attack the rim and hit the outside jumper.
Having watched tapes of the 1980s finals, Bryant seemed to have a good historical perspective on the rivalry. “What they had then was something truly magical,” he observed. “What we’re trying to do is set our own mark in history. Hopefully, we can continue to perform well as the years go on and continue the legacy of the Lakers and Celtics. It’s kind of a fresh start.”
