Boston Celtics: The 25 Most Hated Opponents
By Bill Speros
10. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Every great story needs a primary antagonist. The story of the Boston Celtics during the 1970s and 1980s featured the biggest in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The Celtics met Abdul-Jabbar in the NBA finals four times during those two decades. Each side won twice. Abdul-Jabbar came onto the scene when the Celtics lacked a dominant center in the model of Bill Russell. Abdul-Jabbar’s trademark sky hook was all but unstoppable, as was his defense.
He was finally countered in Boston after Red Auerbach wheeled and dealed to obtain center Robert Parish from the Golden State Warriors starting in 1981. Celtics fans never bought into Abdul-Jabbar’s quiet and cerebral game, nor did they share his religious and cultural beliefs. Many eventually grew to respect Abdul-Jabbar’s skill, success and brilliance on and off the court. When he played, he was simply the biggest and baddest guy on the team they hated the most. And those goggles…
Next: No. 9 -- The Worm