Magic Johnson was sick to his abdomen on the sight of the Celtics hoisting the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy on Monday night time.
“I hate that the Celtics formally have extra championships than us now ,” the Lakers legend posted on X after the Celtics’ 106-88 win over the Mavericks in Sport 5 of the NBA Finals.
Johnson is thought for being moderately factual on X, however the Celtics’ 18th triumph – passing the Lakers’ 17 – introduced out the aggressive fireplace within the Los Angeles icon.
The conflict between the 2 groups dates again to 1959, with the 2 franchises battling for probably the most titles and bragging rights.
Johnson was a significant a part of the rivalry throughout one of the crucial defining and biggest instances in basketball historical past: the Magic vs Hen period.
All through the Nineteen Eighties, both Boston or Los Angeles appeared in each NBA Finals.
The 2 groups dominated the league, with the Celtics’ Larry Hen and Johnson being the pioneers for his or her respective groups.
Hen and Johnson met thrice within the finals and clashed like none different, changing into the epitome of rivals.
Johnson’s Lakers received two of the three matchups and he tallied 5 whole championships with the “Showtime Lakers,” juxtaposed to Hen’s three whole.
The 2 groups had been tied at 17 titles every after LeBron James helped the Lakers win the championship in 2020.
4 years later, the Celtics took the lead after decimating the Mavericks in 5 video games.
Johnson, whereas dismayed, nonetheless gave Boston their rightful reward for the win.
“Joe Mazzulla actually improved as a coach this season and had the Celtics ready for each spherical of the playoffs, making all the right changes on offense and protection,” Johnson wrote on X.
Making it worse for Johnson, the Celtics appeared poised to remain within the hunt for titles, opening because the 2025 championship favorites.
In the meantime, the Lakers are rudderless.
They’re one in every of two NBA groups with out a coach, and their star – LeBron James – is seemingly extra thinking about son Bronny James’ draft standing than negotiating an extension.