The Boston Celtics have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1987, by defeating the Detroit Pistons 89-81 in Game 6 Friday night. The Celtics have now reached the NBA Finals, where they will play the Los Angeles Lakers. The last time the Celtics reached the NBA Finals in 1987, they lost to the Lakers. Since that last Finals appearance, the Celtics have not been very good. The Lakers, meanwhile, have won championships in 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The Celtics, led by Paul Pierce for many years now, have added All-Stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to their team through trades after receiving the fifth pick in the NBA Draft despite the worst record in the Eastern Conference. They were able to make a turnaround and have the best record in the NBA at 66-16. Garnett won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award at the end of the season. Kobe Bryant for the Lakers won the MVP award also so two participants in the NBA Finals have won major regular season awards. In the regular season, the Celtics beat the Lakers twice. Those two wins, however, came in December. To many, those wins do not predict what will happen in this series because both wins came without Pau Gasol. Gasol was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in February. Who will win the NBA Finals? Who deserves the championship more; Bryant or Garnett, Pierce and Allen?
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