March 9th vs. Boston Celtics
One of the biggest rivals of the Lakers is the Boston Celtics. The two have had a ton of battles going back to their championship years, and they are both on the way back to achieving that. Over the past few seasons, the Celtics have been building a contending team in the Eastern Conference, as they have drafted well and landed some talented players in free agency.
Despite injuries to Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward last season, they were still just one win away from going to the NBA Finals. While the Lakers haven’t had the same success as the Celtics the last few years, they now have a good young core of their own, and the best player in the world.
To add a little more spice to the Lakers/Celtics rivalry, Irving and James certainly have a little rivalry of their own. Irving demanded to be traded by the Cavaliers and leave James. With James coming to the Lakers, the Eastern Conference very well could run through Boston for years to come now. With both franchises likely being in the playoffs, this game at the Staples Center will be a fun one. Lakers fans are no strangers to getting a little extra excited when the Celtics are in town.