Boston Celtics
Last season’s finals made for a few epic defensive battles against the two storied rivalries. After the Lakers closed the series with a game seven victory, hearing Kobe Bryant proclaim that he had “one more ring than Shaq,” Celtics general manager Danny Ainge set out to seek the services of Bryant’s old friend/foe.
If Ainge felt he had to rely on Bryant’s post-season revelation to fuel Shaquille O’Neal to beat his former team, he’ll now have to rely on the health of both his aging O’Neal’s to get the Celtics to another finals berth. Shaq’s been in-and-out of the lineup all year, while Jermaine O’Neal sat out most of the season and is just now barely being re-inserted into the lineup.
Should the Lakers meet the Celtics in the finals, they both still have a long playoff road ahead of them, it’ll be the third time in four years the two teams meet and the Lakers will have a shot at matching their title-totals or the Celtics could two-up the Lakers by capturing their 18th O’Brien trophy.
Although both teams are aging, the two can still provide legitimate playoff sparks. Or you know at the very least an infinite amount of “Boston Sucks,” and “Beat LA” chants.
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