1986 Celtics vs 1987 Lakers

1987_Lakers · Post #1 » by **1987_Lakers** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:31 am

Both Magic and Bird in their absolute peak. It's a shame that the best Celtics team and the best Lakers team from the 80's didn't meet in the Finals. This is a fascinating match-up IMO.

- Half-Court vs Fast Break
- White vs Black
- Bird vs Magic
- Blue-collar vs Finesse

Who wins in a 7 game series? Why?

richboy · Post #2 » by **richboy** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 12:49 am

This board is all about athletism so I can guarantee that most will take the athletic running Lakers over the Celtics.

Matter of fact I bet most would think if Bird played today he wouldn't be considered that good.

Harison · Post #3 » by **Harison** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 1:45 am

Didnt we had similar thread not long ago? Its Celtics, more fearsome front line, more clutch, higher BBIQ.

Mean_Streets · Post #4 » by **Mean_Streets** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 2:12 am

I just don't see the '86 Celtics losing.

Celtics just have way too much strength up-front. Celtics are a better rebounding team, and with the Boston controlling the boards they control the pace of the game and play it Half-Court. And like Harison said, they had a higher B-Ball IQ.

Not to mention the Celtics would have HCA. And the Celtics were 50-1 at Home in '86 (including playoffs)

Baller 24 · Post #5 » by **Baller 24** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 2:15 am

The '86 Celtics arguably have one of the greatest front courts ever assembled. Bird's not going to be stopped, he averaged a freaking triple double (or close to it) with All-NBA defense Rodney McCray on him, McHale will have his way, Parish will do a little here and there, but I simply don't see this team losing, DJ was also solid defensively.

shawngoat23 · Post #6 » by **shawngoat23** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 2:21 am

GOAT team versus 3rd best team ever IMO. I'm sticking with the '86 Celtics.

Joana · Post #7 » by **Joana** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 2:22 am

'86 Celtics for me as well. Another factor would be their bench: Jerry Sichting, Scott Wedman and, more importantly, a healthy Bill Walton. That team was just too good and well-oiled to lose.

kooldude · Post #8 » by **kooldude** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 3:10 am

richboy wrote:This board is all about athletism so I can guarantee that most will take the athletic running Lakers over the Celtics.

Matter of fact I bet most would think if Bird played today he wouldn't be considered that good.

Very few players here think that, actually.

bballcool34 · Post #9 » by **bballcool34** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 4:01 am

The 86 Celtics are in my book the best team ever, so I take them.

Point forward · Post #10 » by **Point forward** » Sun Mar 29, 2009 7:13 am

The 1987 Celtics took the Lakers to Game 6 although the dropoff compared to 1986 was considerable:

-Bird had debilitating/career-ending back issues
-McHale had a broken foot (and had to end his career early b/c he played injured)
-Parish had a bad foot
-6th man Walton's body was damaged beyond repair
-7th and 8th men Wedman and Sichting missed a LOT of games
-Len Bias DIED

Still, the Celtics could have won if they win Game 4. They wasted plenty of opportunities in the last 12s, when BOS was up by 2. They win if...

-McHale boxes out correctly after KAJ misses that 2nd FT, instead of creating a TO
-In the last play, DJ actually stays with Magic instead of McHale having to switch
-Magic does not hit that junior junior sky hook over Parish and McHale
-Bird hits that last gasp 3 (he came close)

The 1987 Lakers were great, a Top 3 team in my book, but if the 1987 Celtics give them serious trouble, the 1986 Celtics will beat them.

Warspite · Post #11 » by **Warspite** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:14 am

Im not sure the 87 the Lakers are much better than the 87 Pistons.

The 87 Lakers were not as good as some Laker teams that didnt win the championship. I think a case can be made that theres 5-10 Laker teams that were better than the 87 Lakers. Dont let there record fool you because they didnt play anyone including the Celtics who were decimated with injuries. There were 10 teams in the East good enough to make the WCF in 87.

The Pistons and Celtics in 87 played maybe the greatest, toughest, hardest, most physical series in the history of modern basketball while the Lakers sat at home and watched on TV. I honestly feel that whatever team of those 3 would essentialy get a bye and time to rest while the other 2 beat each other up would beat the winner. The 87 Lakers were a very good team but IMHO they are not a top 10 GOAT contender.

Mean_Streets · Post #12 » by **Mean_Streets** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 12:33 am

Warspite wrote:Im not sure the 87 the Lakers are much better than the 87 Pistons.

The 87 Lakers were not as good as some Laker teams that didnt win the championship. I think a case can be made that theres 5-10 Laker teams that were better than the 87 Lakers. Dont let there record fool you because they didnt play anyone including the Celtics who were decimated with injuries. There were 10 teams in the East good enough to make the WCF in 87.

The Pistons and Celtics in 87 played maybe the greatest, toughest, hardest, most physical series in the history of modern basketball while the Lakers sat at home and watched on TV. I honestly feel that whatever team of those 3 would essentialy get a bye and time to rest while the other 2 beat each other up would beat the winner. The 87 Lakers were a very good team but IMHO they are not a top 10 GOAT contender.

'87 Lakers not much better than the '87 Pistons?

A weaker Lakers team beat a stronger pistons team in the NBA Finals the very next year.

If the Pistons made the Finals in 1987, they would have lost to the Lakers in 5 games, maybe 6.

Warspite · Post #13 » by **Warspite** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:46 am

Mean_Streets wrote:
Warspite wrote:Im not sure the 87 the Lakers are much better than the 87 Pistons.

The 87 Lakers were not as good as some Laker teams that didnt win the championship. I think a case can be made that theres 5-10 Laker teams that were better than the 87 Lakers. Dont let there record fool you because they didnt play anyone including the Celtics who were decimated with injuries. There were 10 teams in the East good enough to make the WCF in 87.

The Pistons and Celtics in 87 played maybe the greatest, toughest, hardest, most physical series in the history of modern basketball while the Lakers sat at home and watched on TV. I honestly feel that whatever team of those 3 would essentialy get a bye and time to rest while the other 2 beat each other up would beat the winner. The 87 Lakers were a very good team but IMHO they are not a top 10 GOAT contender.

A weaker Lakers team beat a stronger pistons team in the NBA Finals the very next year.

If the Pistons made the Finals in 1987, they would have lost to the Lakers in 5 games, maybe 6.

The 88 Pistons were not a better team than the 87 Pistons. The 88 Lakers were only able to win the series by winning games 6 and 7 after Isiah Thomas was injured. The 87 Pistons were up in the series vs the Celtics when Joe Dumars and Adrian Dantley both dove for a loose ball and hit head to head and both were lost for the game and neither were healthy the rest of the series.

http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198612130DET.html
http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/198703260LAL.html

The 2 teams were pretty evenly matched. If Isiah doesnt blow out his ankle the Pistons win in 88 about as convincingly as they did in 04. The Lakers got lucky in 88 and maybe in 87. No doubt the Lakers wanted to face the old, injured, run down Celtics instead of the young, hungry, healthy Pistons.