The greatest Celtic rivals in history

Andover native and Boston sports fan Stephen Stapinski today shares who he thinks are the four greatest rivals of the Boston Celtics in franchise history.

4. Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls

While most people may see Michael Jordan as the game's G.O.A.T., he certainly wasn't the greatest Celtic rival. But his Bulls in the '80s did make life difficult for Larry Bird and the Cs. MJ also had some breakthrough performances versus the Cs.

3. The Bad Boys

Ah yes, arguably the most hated of all the Celtic rivals were the Bad Boys of the Detroit Pistons. They were rude, crude, and oh-so-effective. But they needed their all and more to dethrone the Celtics' dominance in the East.

2. Jerry West and the LA Lakers

For years in the '60s and '70s, the Lakers had the most formidable team in the league – on paper, that is. With stars such as Jerry West and Wilt Chamberlain, they looked sure to bag the championship. However, Bill Russell and the Celtics would always find a way to beat them.

1. Showtime

For an entire decade, the Showtime LA Lakers ruled the NBA alongside the Boston Celtics. They were dominating forces in their respective conferences and would meet no less than three times in the NBA Finals, with legends Magic Johnson and Larry Bird leading two of the most star-loaded teams in NBA history, Stephen Stapinski adds.