Though it’s been more than 20 years since the classic showdowns between Detroit and Boston during the Eastern Conference playoffs, the rivalry still stands between the two hard-working teams. And while nothing stands in the way of the longstanding rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics, the hatred of the Pistons is still riding high in the Hub.
The strength of the Pistons has weakened in recent years — they rank 11th in the Eastern Conference where Boston sits at No. 1 — but the bitter rivalry is not lost on the current players in Boston. It even added a new chapter to its history this season, as Charlie Villanueva accused Kevin Garnett of calling him a cancer patient during the team’s first meeting in November.
The Twitter battles between KG and Villanueva have nothing on the fists thrown during the 1980s playoffs, however. The highlights of Laimbeer clotheslining Larry Bird in Game 3, followed by Robert Parrish decking Laimbeer in Game 5 of the 1987 Eastern Conference Finals are clips that will live on forever in Celtics’ lore.
While there are other budding rivalries with other teams across the league, none come close to the bruising history between Detroit and Boston. Not even Joakim Noah‘s ‘ugly’ remarks at Kevin Garnett match the Twitter fiasco that fanned the flame beneath the Celtics-Pistons rivalry this season.
Which rivalry holds the most weight in Boston, besides the rivalry with the Lakers? Share your thoughts below.
Monday, Jan. 18: Dwight Howard’s output will never match the big-man status of Bill Russell and other past legends.
Which team is the Celtics biggest rival, besides the Lakers?survey software
