The New York Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox; the Los Angeles Lakers versus the Boston Celtics; the Dallas Cowboys versus everybody. Rivalries have been a quintessential part of sports fandom since its inception.

Friday, February 28thTV Channel: ESPN, NBA.TVLive Stream: FuboTV (watch live for free) NBA.TV (try for free) WATCH: NBA Bas

Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) shoots the ball against Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images / Peter Casey-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Lakers were the only team that the Dallas Mavericks seriously engaged with in a trade for Luka Doncic.

Not all that long ago, such a prospect would have been quite the stretch, given where each of the two storied rivals were in their respective contention arcs. But after the Lakers were practically gifted a potential generational talent in Luka Doncic by the Dallas Mavericks,

The Boston Celtics are being linked to a former center of the rival Los Angeles Lakers ahead of the offseason.

The Boston Celtics saw one of their stars named as the reason Luka Doncic was sent to the Los Angeles Lakers, and more.

One of the most exciting seasons in recent memory looks to be the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Powerhouses like the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and Boston Celtics into the postseason will intensify the rivalry.

The Celtics could look at a former center of the rival Lakers on the buyout market if they want to add some more size to the roster.

Their remarkable run has prompted Skip Bayless to declare them "the hottest team in the NBA," surpassing Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers (the best two teams in each conference who boast 17-5 in this stretch).

Kendrick Perkins passionately defended the Boston Celtics and called them “the most disrespected champions in NBA history.”