Boston Celtics – Los Angeles Lakers rivalry coming to the small screen on ESPN ’30 for 30′

The Boston Celtics rivalry with the Los Angeles Lakers will be revisited in ESPN’s new ‘30 for 30: Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies.’

This new ’30 for 30′ will be a five-hour, three-part film event that will be aired over two nights on Tuesday June 13th and Wednesday June 14th. There is no NBA rivalry like the one between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers.

Here is how ESPN Media Zone describes the new documentary.

"“‘Celtics/Lakers: Best of Enemies,’ a five-hour 30 for 30 film event, chronicles the storied franchises’ epic clashes and relives the Boston-LA battle from both sides, with sensational footage and fresh, insightful interviews.”"

The show will cover the 1960’s history of the teams, Larry Bird and Magic Johnson’s battle in the 1979 NCAA Championship game, and of course the entirety of the 1980’s when the Boston and L.A. rivalry was at it’s best.

"More from Chowder and Champions3 Midseason Chaim Bloom Decisions That Have Killed the 2023 Red Sox10 Patriots Who Will Be Cut by Tuesday’s Roster DeadlineMLB Screws Red Sox Fans With Broadcast for Mookie Betts Return3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 SeasonRed Sox Continue Rollercoaster Season With Massive Win“Parts One and Two of the film not only trace the history, but also present a fabulous cast of characters who would change the NBA and open America’s collective mind. At the center of it all in the 1980s was a pair of brilliant basketball talents – Larry Bird and Magic Johnson. Bird’s Celtics and Magic’s Lakers circled each other for four years until they faced off in an epic NBA Finals in 1984. Part Three picks up the story right after the thrilling 1984 NBA Finals and then explores the saga from 1985 to 1987 as the teams’ disdain for each other gradually turns to respect. The Celtics and Lakers – Bird and Magic in particular – transformed the fans’ view of the game from simple black-and-white to full-blown Technicolor. By the end of their last battle of that era in 1987, while there was still animosity, they had also developed a hard-earned respect for each other. In the final analysis, it was a rivalry that forced America to no longer view the league in black and white.”"

While Ice Cube will be the narrator for the Los Angeles Lakers in the film, Dorchester-born Donnie Wahlberg will do so for the Boston Celtics.

It has been 30 years since the 1987 NBA Finals, the last time the two teams met in the NBA Finals in the 1980’s, but director Jim Podhoretz said they found the players they interviewed “to be totally engaged.”

"“The vivid details that they recall, the candid feelings, their hatred, their joy and their vulnerability are all out there for people to see,” Podhoretz said."

Podhoretz has already interviewed Danny Ainge and Cedric Maxwell. He is also expected to secure interviews with Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, so you will get to hear from the stars in this one.

Only one trailer has been released so far, but it does feature Magic.

This will certainly be a must watch for Boston Celtics fans.

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Look for a recap on Chowder and Champions in mid-june after the film airs. We’re now anxiously awaiting June 13th.