Streaking Celtics, Lakers ready for latest Finals rematch

BOSTON -- Far be it from us to ignore any slice of history, no matter how esoteric, in the NBA's most historic rivalry.

If the Lakers manage to win tonight in Boston against the Celtics (8 p.m. ET, TNT), not only would it give the Lakers a sweep of the season series, it could be a harbinger of even better times for Los Angeles. The Celtics and Lakers have met 11 times in the Finals. In only four of those Finals has one of the teams swept the season series. And on three of those four occasions, the team that has swept the regular-season series has gone on to claim the NBA title..

LAKERS VS. CELTICS -- 8 P.M. ET, TNT
	Tonight's game is the final regular-season meeting of last year's NBA Finals teams. • Dec. 25: Bryant, Gasol halt Celtics' run • Thomas: Lakers-Celtics rivalry still solid • Video: Lakers vs. Celtics rivalry • 2008 NBA Finals All-Access video: Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 | Game 6

The Lakers enter TD Banknorth Garden on Thursday night with four straight wins on the road and eight wins in their last nine games. L.A's most recent victory came Wednesday night in Toronto. Kobe Bryant's 36 points led the Lakers past the Raptors, 115-107.

The Celtics have won 12 consecutive games and admitted they are playing as well or better than they were when they took a 27-2 record and a 19-game winning streak into Staples Center on Christmas.

But a combination of flying across the country on Christmas Eve and the Lakers' stout defense stopped the Celtics cold. The 92-83 loss in L.A. started the Celtics on a 2-7 slide that had some observers questioning whether Boston had enough in the tank to defend their title.

Not to worry, said Finals MVP Paul Pierce. Especially Thursday night.

"We have extra motivation this time, because they broke our streak the first time," Pierce said.

Compared to the Christmas game, the circumstances surrounding this one have done a 180. This time, the Lakers will be road weary, playing the second night of a back-to-back. The Celtics will be rested and on their home court two days after a thrilling 100-99 win in Philly on Tuesday. Boston also expects All-Star Kevin Garnett to return after missing the Celtics last two games with the flu.

The Lakers won't be at full strength, either. They are without center Andrew Bynum, who is out for at least eight weeks with a torn MCL in his right knee. Doc Rivers told Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski that Bynum made a big difference in the Lakers' Christmas Day win.

"He makes you change the shot," Rivers said. "We had three or four of them where we double-clutched for no reason -- other than the fact that in the left of your eye he was coming. Size makes you miss layups."

The Lakers also return to TD Banknorth for the first time since the Celtics crushed L.A. by 39 points in Game 6 for Boston's record 17th NBA title, nine of which have come against their cross-country foes. The memory of that loss is still fresh for the Lakers and coach Phil Jackson.

"To be not only beaten, but humiliated," Jackson said Wednesday, "in a game like that to end the series, and have them celebrating and throwing (stuff) all over the court, disrupting the game with 2 1/2 minutes left to go.

"It was in your face and everybody remembers that. There's a certain element of, you know, we have some serious work to do."

While Jackson may provide a sobering assessment of the rivalry, the notoriously focused Kobe Bryant is looking to stay loose.

"You go into Boston, you play well and get a 'W,' that's a big win for us," Bryant told reporters on Wednesday. "We believe we can win. We believe we should win. We're going in there and we're going to have some fun."

Celtics guard Ray Allen, for one, can't wait.

"It'll be one for the ages," Allen said on Tuesday. "People will be excited. It's a big game. It's definitely a playoff atmosphere. We lost to them to the first time so we'll be looking forward to it."

He's not the only one.