Lakers vs. Celtics: Which is the Greatest NBA Franchise?

[TrueGreen]

The Celtics are built on the INTEGRITY and PRINCIPLES of Red Auerbach and Walter Brown. What are the Lakers built on? The Celtics are the better franchise. They are the greatest franchise in all of sports, including college teams (if considered a franchise).

[tenn_smoothie]

Lakers vs. Celtics: Which is the Greatest NBA Franchise?

for me, this is an easy question.  Celtics in a route.

if the 17 titles doesn't clue you in, remember that the Celts hold a 9 - 2 lead in finals matchups. not even close.

[EarthBall]

Team A is, especially if it won most of its championships over Team B.

Of course everything depends on what is your definition of greater or better. So this thread really is pointless because no one can argue that coming up with a definition is not subjective.

[Fafnir]

Team A is, especially if it won most of its championships over Team B.

Of course everything depends on what is your definition of greater or better. So this thread really is pointless because no one can argue that coming up with a definition is not subjective.

You found a polite conversation about the Celtics/Lakers pointless? Um okay.

Every question doesn't have an answer, not everything is win or lose. I enjoyed this thread.

[Slugger]

Team A is, especially if it won most of its championships over Team B.

Of course everything depends on what is your definition of greater or better. So this thread really is pointless because no one can argue that coming up with a definition is not subjective.

You found a polite conversation about the Celtics/Lakers pointless? Um okay.

Every question doesn't have an answer, not everything is win or lose. I enjoyed this thread.

Celticsbloggers to Earth(ball);

You can agree with us or you can be wrong. End of story.

[EarthBall]

Team A is, especially if it won most of its championships over Team B.

Of course everything depends on what is your definition of greater or better. So this thread really is pointless because no one can argue that coming up with a definition is not subjective.

You found a polite conversation about the Celtics/Lakers pointless? Um okay.

Every question doesn't have an answer, not everything is win or lose. I enjoyed this thread.

Celticsbloggers to Earth(ball);

You can agree with us or you can be wrong. End of story.

Thanks for letting me know.

Though I never did say the Lakers are better than the Celtics. All I have been trying to point out is that the question is complicated. You guys seems to reduce it to one (albeit important) statistic.

Sorry I am not a homer.

[Roy Hobbs]

Team A is, especially if it won most of its championships over Team B.

Of course everything depends on what is your definition of greater or better. So this thread really is pointless because no one can argue that coming up with a definition is not subjective.

You found a polite conversation about the Celtics/Lakers pointless? Um okay.

Every question doesn't have an answer, not everything is win or lose. I enjoyed this thread.

Celticsbloggers to Earth(ball);

You can agree with us or you can be wrong. End of story.

Thanks for letting me know.

Though I never did say the Lakers are better than the Celtics. All I have been trying to point out is that the question is complicated. You guys seems to reduce it to one (albeit important) statistic.

Sorry I am not a homer.

I don't think you need to be a homer to have an objective standard:  most championships = most successful team.

That's why, despite me being a Red Sox and Bruins fan, I have to admit that the Yankees and Canadiens are the two most successful franchises in their respective sports.  That's why, in the modern era, the Steelers are the most successful football franchise (and the Packers are most successful all-time, despite me being a Bears fan).  And that's why the Celts are the most successful basketball team.

League success = winning championships.

[Ben Pepper]

The greatest franchise in the NBA is the Boston Celtics. They have more Championship than any other team - 17.

The Los Angeles Lakers have nine championships. The Minneapolis Lakers had five championships. If Minneapolis had changed their name when they moved to Los Angeles, and not kept the illogical and nonsensical Lakers in a city with no lakes, no one would be having the argument. The points the author makes do not hold up.

Greatest regular season winning percentage, most regular season wins, etc.? That's akin to former Red Sox GM Dan Duquette saying the Red Sox were equally successful as the Yankees in the late '90s and early '00s because they had "more days in first place" in the regular season.

Most Finals appearances? Besides not having to play consistent winning franchises like Philadelphia, Detroit and New York in the earlier rounds of the playoffs, the LA/Minneapolis Lakers also have the most Finals losses of any NBA Franchise - 15. Fifteeen times they've made it to the Finals, where more often than not they are the favorite, and they've lost. No other franchise comes close.

The Minneapolis/LA Lakers have also had arguably eight of the twenty-five greatest players of all time. The Boston Celtics have the best player of all time, Bill Russell, not to mention an equal or larger number in the top 25.

The Minneapolis/LA Lakers have also had two of the five greatest coaches ever. The Boston Celtics have the greatest coach (and general manager) of all time, Red Auerbach.

And most importantly, the Boston Celtics and the Minneapolis/LA Lakers have played in the NBA Finals eleven times. The Boston Celtics have dominated this series, winning nine times.

David Stern's fascination with the all things Lakers and Kobe Bryant-related aside, the Boston Celtics are the greatest franchise in NBA, and possibly sports, history.