Sixers Game Preview

Renewing a rivalry

When the question, “What’s the NBA’s greatest rivalry?” is raised, the most common response is “Celtics and Lakers” and for good reason. The teams have met in the NBA Finals a record 11 times and have more hall-of-famers than any other team. Even the videogame NBA Live used to be known as Lakers vs. Celtics and the NBA Playoffs.

But a lot of respect must also be paid to the Sixers/Celtics rivalry. Officially, it began with the Syracuse Nationals first season in 1949-50, but realistically, you also have to factor in the days of the Philadelphia Warriors and the epic battles between a young Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell.

The carryover from Chamberlain and Russell’s on-court feuds along with the seemingly annual playoff meetings between the Nationals and Celtics paved the way for a great rivalry once NBA basketball returned to Philadelphia in the form of the Sixers in 1963.

It all came to a head in 1967, when the Chamberlain led-Sixers eliminated Russell’s Celtics 4-1 in the Eastern Division Finals en route to their first championship while also ending Boston’s unprecedented eight-year title run.

All totaled, the franchises have played a total 405 regular season games and an astounding 93 postseason matchups, spanning across 18 different series and one round-robin tournament.

Although the rivalry has dissipated some in recent years, the Celtics championship run last season coupled with the Sixers addition of Elton Brand has given this storied conflict a much needed shot in the arm. Brand and Boston’s Kevin Garnett battled for years over in the Western Conference as members of the L.A. Clippers and Minnesota Timberwolves.

There have always been tremendous matchups between star-players from the two franchises, including Dolph Schayes and “Easy” Ed Macauley, the aforementioned Chamberlain vs. Russell, Larry Bird against both Julius “Dr. J” Erving and Charles Barkley, Allen Iverson and Paul Pierce, and now Brand vs. Garnett.

The Sixers/Celtics rivalry has been tested before. In the early 70’s, the Sixers were in a transitional phase and lost 20 consecutive games to Boston. That all changed in 1976 when Dr. J came aboard and Philly preceded to win seven of the next eight regular season games vs. Boston as well as a playoff series in 1977.

Last season, the Celtics opened the series against the Sixers with three easy victories and were looking for the sweep at home against Philly in late March. Boston led 80-69 with just over eight minutes left in the game before Philly went on an amazing 19-0 run en route to stunning the eventual champs on their own court, 95-90.

Friday night marks the first of what promises to be four exciting matchups between Boston and Philly this season and hopefully the start of yet another chapter in the wonderful rivalry of these franchises.