Boston Celtics: The 25 Most Hated Opponents

18. Kurt Rambis

Celtics fans found his glasses annoying. His play early in the 1984 Finals was even more pesky and problematic. Boston trailed in that series 2-1 after an embarrassing 34-point loss to the Lakers in Game 3. “We played like a bunch of sissies,” Larry Bird said afterward. ” I can’t believe a team like this would let L.A. come out and push us around like they did. Today I didn’t feel we played hard. We got beat bad, and it’s very embarrassing.” Heading into Game 4, coach K.C. Jones switched up Dennis Johnson to guard Magic Johnson. That move clogged the Lakers fast-break attack but Los Angeles still led in the second quarter. The Celtics needed to get more physical. Kevin McHale complied and

Heading into Game 4, coach K.C. Jones switched up Dennis Johnson to guard Magic Johnson. That move clogged the Lakers fast-break attack but Los Angeles still led in the second quarter. The Celtics needed to get more physical. Kevin McHale complied and clotheslined Rambis on a breakaway in the second quarter in perhaps the most flagrant foul in NBA playoff history. The tone and tenor of the series changed. The Lakers were taken out of their game and the Celtics – to paraphrase Bird – stopped playing like sissies. Later, Laker coach Pat Riley would call the Celtics “a bunch of thugs.”

Next: No. 17 -- Tree