2008 NBA Finals Game 6 Celtics vs Lakers
The Celtics returned to glory in 2008, winning their 17th title and first since 1986.
The 2008 NBA Finals was the championship series of the NBA's 2007–08 season, played from June 5–17, 2008, between the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics and the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers. It was the eleventh Finals meeting in the Celtics–Lakers rivalry. The Celtics defeated the Lakers in six games to win their first championship since 1986 and their seventeenth title overall. Paul Pierce was named the Finals MVP.
- Date
- June 17, 2008
- Venue
- TD Banknorth Garden
- Final Score
- Celtics 131, Lakers 92
- Series Result
- Boston wins 4-2
- Finals MVP
- Rajon Rondo
- Championship Count
- Celtics' 17th Title
Lore & Background
The Celtics made their first NBA Finals appearance since a six-game loss to the Lakers in 1987. After lean years including a franchise-worst 15-win season in 1996–97 and a 24-win 2006–07 season, the 2007 off-season saw general manager Danny Ainge acquire Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to join Paul Pierce. The new 'Big Three,' joined by second-year point guard Rajon Rondo, led the Celtics to a 42-game turnaround, finishing with 66 wins. In the playoffs, the Celtics were pushed to the brink by the Hawks and Cavaliers, winning Game 7s at home, then beat the Pistons in six games to reach the Finals.
In Their Own Story
The air inside TD Banknorth Garden was thick enough to taste, vibrating with twenty-two years of held breath. As the final seconds ticked away on the clock, the scoreboard glowed green and white against the darkened arena. When the buzzer sounded, it did not just signal a win; it released a collective exhale from an entire city that had waited too long for this moment.
Reader's Guide
The Celtics won both regular-season meetings. On December 30, 2007, they routed the Lakers 110–91 at Staples Center. In Game 1 of the Finals, Paul Pierce left with a knee injury after a collision with Kendrick Perkins, returned to hit three straight three-pointers, and finished with 22 points as Boston won 98–88. Game 2 saw the Lakers take an early lead, but Boston's Leon Powe drew fouls aggressively. The series ended with the Celtics winning in six games.
Did You Know?
- Paul Pierce was named Finals MVP.
- The Celtics' previous title before 2008 was in 1986.
- The series was the eleventh Finals meeting between the Celtics and Lakers.
- Rodd Houston narrated the Celtics' championship season documentary on NBA Entertainment; the made-for-TV version is narrated by Kevin Harlan.
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