Lakers: Klay Thompson Gives Huge Props to the Boston Celtics-LA Rivalry
The two teams haven't played in a NBA Finals against each other in over a decade, but the Lakers and Celtics is still one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports. Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson is more familiar with the rivalry than most. His father, Mychal Thompson, was a crucial rotation player for the Lakers that won championships in back-to-back years (1987 & 1988).
After Klay Thompson's Warriors downed the Celtics 104-94 in Game 5 at the Chase Center, Bally Sports Network's Brandon "Scoop B" Robinson captured the guard's thoughts on how the Lakers-Celtics rivalry in the 1980's transformed the NBA and the meaning of his Warriors playing the Celtics in a NBA Finals.
"The Lakers Celtics rivalry really built the NBA you could say. It’s one of the greatest rivalries in the world so to kind of be able to be part of that with Golden State and Boston, it’s a new chapter. It’s just awesome to be here."
Klay hasn't shot the ball particularly well overall in the Finals, but his five made three-pointers and 21 total points in Game 5 helped push the Warriors to just one win away from their fourth title in eight years.
In that same presser, Klay also reminisced a bit about his father's Lakers facing off against the Celtics.
"Growing up we’d watch those games and you could just feel the tension in the Forum or at the Boston Garden. I know he [his Dad] looks back on those with so much joy, and I do too."
Warriors-Celtics doesn't quite have the same meaning as Lakers-Celtics, but for Klay Thompson, it still resonates.
