The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers will face off on Saturday at TD Garden, but Jayson Tatum doesn’t view it as a rivalry game. When asked about the matchup in his press conference after the Celtics’ 123-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, Tatum stated the teams don’t play often enough for him to consider the Lakers a rival.
“I mean, I obviously understand the history between the Lakers and Celtics,” Tatum said. “I would say from my time in the league, I wouldn’t look at the Lakers as rivals. We only play them twice. The teams that we’ve played over and over again in the playoffs- Philly would be one of them, and the other teams as well.”
“You respect and understand the history and all the guys that wore the Lakers and Celtics uniform and what it means to the game of basketball and the NBA,” Tatum added. “It’s an honor to be a part of that, for sure, so I’m certain everybody’s looking forward to that matchup, as they do every single year.”
The Celtics-Lakers rivalry was born out of them repeatedly competing against each other in the NBA Finals. They have faced off 12 times on the biggest stage, an NBA record, but the last of the meetings was back in 2010.
Tatum, who is averaging 26.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game in 2024-25, hasn’t really experienced high-stakes clashes between the Celtics and Lakers, which explains why they aren’t really rivals in his eyes. The 27-year-old understands the significance of the matchup with all the history and is proud to take part in it but views teams like the 76ers as the real rivals now.
While the players involved might not view this as a big rivalry game, the fans sure will. They want bragging rights and would be keen to see their team emerge victorious. The Lakers were the winners when the teams met earlier this season, blowing out the Celtics 117-96. The defending champions would be keen to get some revenge and avoid getting swept in the season series.
Paul Pierce Reacts To Jayson Tatum Not Considering The Lakers As A Rival
Celtics legend Paul Pierce had some epic battles with the Lakers on the big stage, and he was asked about Tatum’s comments on Speak on FS1. Pierce believes this will always be a rivalry as it was the foundation on which the NBA was built.
“Well, no, ’cause you feel the energy when the Celtics come to L.A. once a year,” Pierce said. “I got people calling me like, ‘Hey, what we doing for the game tomorrow?’ ‘Cause it’s one of those games. It will always be a rivalry. Regular season, you meet in the Finals. This is what the foundation of the league was built on, Lakers and Celtics.”
Again, the fans and former players will always view this as the biggest rivalry, but it’s not the same for Tatum. The six-time All-Star hasn’t had those battles but might get to experience them this year. The Lakers and Celtics could well end up meeting in the Finals with how well they’ve been playing lately. It’s somewhat of a long shot, but it could happen.
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