With a league almost in eclipse, NBA commissioner, David Stern, cannot believe how fate is changing before his eyes. With television ratings dropping precipitously from years of small market dominance featuring the San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, and Dallas Mavericks, the National Basketball Association is salivating over a possible renewal of one pro sports greatest rivalries: Celtics-Lakers. A conflict so brutal that maniacal Lakers fans couldn't stop giggling over the drug induced death of promising Boston rookie, Lyn Bias. When LA finally broke the Celtic curse in '85, Angelenos acted like Lincoln had free the slaves. Yet, those were the bad old days when Lakers fans were more likely to embrace the Taliban than the frenzied Celtics and cagey Larry Bird, Kevin Mchale, Robert Parrish, also Danny Ainge. Speaking of Ainge, he has done a fabulous job of remolding the Celtics into the working class image forged by the hard drinking grunts of South Boston. The same ones sitting court side at old Boston Gawden insulting Laker wives. The Celtics have already wrapped up their division; meanwhile, the Lakers are the toast of the West.
Just like the revival of the Red Sox -Yankees feud is fueling baseball's indifferent post season. The Celtics and Lakers would open up old wounds of East Coast vs West Coast superiority. Once again, its the team, Boston, versus a highly talented individual, Kobe Bryant. And once again, the NBA would be back in the high life again.
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