The rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers remains one of the best in all of sports. Even though the two sides haven’t met on the biggest stage since 2010, every time they do play the intensity raises to almost playoff levels.
Speaking of the playoffs, the Celtics just barely kept their run alive, winning a Game 7 to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks and set up a second-round series with another one of their old rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Game 1 of that series took place on Monday and as is usually the case during the playoffs, the Celtics provided their home fans with t-shirts upon arrival.
But even in a series against another rival, the Celtics couldn’t help but take a little jab at the Lakers as well:
#BeatPHILA ???? Tonight’s t-shirt giveaway courtesy of @ArbellaIns and @PutnamToday #CUsRise pic.twitter.com/mmC5joiMSx
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 30, 2018
When you have the history and disdain for each other the way the Lakers and Celtics do, it makes sense that you would take shots any chance you get. The Celtics had an opportunity to troll their two biggest rivals with one shirt and they did so.
Of course the ‘Beat LA’ chants were created by Celtics fans, but not actually while they were playing the Lakers. As time wound down and Boston was set to lose in the 1988 Eastern Conference Finals to the Detroit Pistons, the fans began chanting Beat LA with the belief that anyone winning the NBA Championship would be better than the Lakers doing so.
The Lakers are still far away from championship contention, but are definitely on the rise. It could still be a long time before the two sides finally meet once again in the NBA Finals, but the animosity remains and guarantees that when it does happen again, it will be as intense as ever.
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