Rivalries in Sports

Yesterday, the Lakers played the Celtics, a matchup of the two best basketball organizations in NBA history, with each having won the most championships. These two teams account for more than half of the total number of NBA championships.

But what makes this rivalry bigger than the Knicks-Celtics rivalry, who would fall into the intense New York-Boston rivalries?

There are many rivalries in sports, some driven by geographical factors, and others by historical or non-competitive factors, but the most intense rivalries are driven by one thing, results.

The Lakers and Celtics have been a part of the biggest rivalry in basketball, but this year it has calmed down, not because the history behind each team has changed, but because the Celtics are at the bottom of the East's playoff picture, they are deviating from being a perennial contender. The Celtics aren't scary this year, so other rivalries are gaining steam.

The newest rivalry in the NBA is the best example of this results over geography rivalry argument. For the first time, the Lakers and the Clippers are a part of a newly labeled rivalry, and battle for LA.

The Clippers have emerged as a good team this year, something unexpected from one of the most unsuccessful franchises in all of sports. Clipper-Laker games now receive an enormous amount of coverage, when before it would be a blowout affair.

yuck

Results drive rivalries, and I'm sorry Clipper fans, but LA is still the Lakers' town.