After meeting three times in the NBA Finals during the 1980s, the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers didn’t renew their rivalry with a championship on the line until 2008. Like in decades past, there was no shortage of stars on the respective rosters.
The Celtics reloaded the offseason prior to the Finals matchup, acquiring Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to spawn the creation of a “Big three,” as they joined Paul Pierce. The Lakers were sparked by a midseason trade for Pau Gasol that vaulted them to the top of the Western Conference.
Boston earned home-court advantage in the NBA Finals by virtue of securing the league’s best regular-season record.