The rivalry between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers is between two most of the best franchises in NBA history. It has been called the NBA's best rivalry. The two teams have met a record twelve times in the NBA Finals, starting with their first Finals meeting in 1959. They would go on to win the league in the 1920s and the 1980s, playing each other six times in the 1960s and three times in the 1980s.