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Boston vs. Los Angeles, a long history of sports rivalry

What makes for a great championship round rivalry? Great teams, matchups between great players, traditional powers, contrasting styles, multiple meetings, hostility between enemies, classic games or series, lots of drama/close contests, rabid fan bases, intriguing personalities, even controversy of some sort are most of the main criteria.

Boston vs. Los Angeles meets all those criteria and more, over their 12 great NBA Finals showdowns.

Duke vs. North Carolina has an added proximity factor since the schools are so close together, but that is not a necessity for a great title rivalry. And to date, the Tar Heels and Blue Devils have mever even met in an NCAA tournament game, let alone a championship finals.