Part of what makes the NBA, or any pro sports league, so compelling to watch is the narratives, especially those centered on rivalries. Throughout the decades, the NBA has fostered a number of foe vs. foe relationships, some long-lasting and others short but sweet. These are the best rivalries in the history of the league. Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers Two of the NBA’s oldest teams have been clashing for decades. There were three major eras, when both teams were among the best in the league and facing off against each other: The ’50s and ’60s when Russell’s Celtics toppled Jerry West’s Lakers over and over, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson defined ’80s basketball, and the brief 2008 to 2010 window when Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce faced each other in the Finals twice and each won one. Larry Bird vs. Magic Johnson Worth highlighting on its own is Magic vs. Bird, which started pre-NBA, with the 1979 NCAA Championship. When they were both NBA stars in the ’80s for the long-feuding Lakers and Celtics, th
