The Los Angeles Lakers illustrious history has been filled with many franchise pillars, from the days of Jerry West, Elgin Baylor, and Wilt Chamberlain to Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
These legends had to face many tests along the way to immortality, including constant battles against the hated Boston Celtics. Throughout the origins of the NBA, no storyline stood out more than the longstanding rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics.
With countless head-to-head meetings in the NBA Finals, these two titans set the foundation for one of the greatest rivalries in all of professional sports. The first of these clashes came during the 1959 season, the only that featured the Minneapolis Lakers before their move to Los Angeles.