It wasn’t exactly Willis Reed coming back in Game seven of the 1970 NBA Finals against the Lakers, but Paul Pierce made a historic return of his own in the third quarter of Game one of the 2008 NBA Finals, and he was the catalyst for a run that propelled the Celtics to a 98-88 victory.

After being carried off the court in obvious pain with 6:49 left in the third, Pierce triumphantly returned to the court just minutes later to a standing ovation. Pierce’s return was an emotional lift for the Celtics, and Pierce proceeded to ignite the team by scoring 12 points in the quarter. The Celtics outscored the Lakers 31-22 in the third, and never looked back.

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You asked for it, you got it.

In what is one of the most anticipated NBA finals in recent memory, the Boston Celtics, the top seed in the East, will face the Los Angeles Lakers, the top-seed in the West. These teams have faced off in the NBA Finals 10 previous times, the most recent coming in 1987. The history between these two teams is a big reason for the all the hype, but the current players re-igniting the rivalry are the real intrigue.

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