LOS ANGELES • The Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers are the two most storied franchises in the National Basketball Association (NBA), having met in the Finals a record 12 times, with 33 championships between them.
However, the rivalry has dimmed in recent years as the Lakers languished in mediocrity and last making the play-offs in 2013.
While the Celtics have made the postseason in the past five campaigns, last season was wrecked by reports of a fractured locker room, leading to Kyrie Irving's departure to the Brooklyn Nets.
Much has changed in a year, with Los Angeles (43-12) sitting atop the Western Conference, while Boston are third in the East (39-17), 21/2 games behind NBA champions Toronto Raptors.
Thus, Sunday was a true representation of the Celtics-Lakers rivalry in front of an almost 19,000-strong Staples Centre crowd.
And it was something LeBron James acknowledged. The three-time NBA champion, who delivered the go-ahead jumper with 30 seconds left to help lift the hosts to a 114-112 victory, said: "It's just special to be part of this.
"We understand that this has been going on since the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, all the way through."
On his crucial basket, which gave the Lakers the lead for good, James, who had 29 points, said: "I just gave a little dream shake to the baseline and was able to open up the middle and get my fadeaway."
Calling it "the money shot", Anthony Davis, who paced the Lakers with 32 points, added: "He (James) got to the shot he always makes, a shot he always takes in practice and in games, and he did what he does best and made the shot."
Boston's Jayson Tatum led all scorers with a career-high-tying 41 points, with all five of their starters scoring in double figures, despite missing All-Star Kemba Walker.
Although the visitors narrowly failed to overcome the Lakers, James had high praise for their efforts and singled out Tatum, who also scored 41 points against New Orleans on Jan 11.
James hailed the forward as "an absolute problem" and a "young king" in the making - in reference to his King James moniker - in an Instagram post.
Separately, the league-leading Milwaukee Bucks (48-8) clinched the earliest post-season place in 15 years despite not playing on Sunday after the Chicago Bulls weathered a career-high 53-point performance by Bradley Beal to defeat the Washington Wizards 126-117.
The play-offs are scheduled to start on April 18.
Last season's Eastern finalists are also on pace to win 70 games - a feat accomplished only by the 1995-96 Bulls (72 wins) and the 2015-16 Golden State Warriors (73 wins).
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WASHINGTON V MILWAUKEE
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