NBA Finals 2024 - Why Lakers legends are rooting for a Mavericks miracle against Boston - ESPN

It was the day of Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks, and before Mychal Thompson said goodbye to his call-in guest on his ESPN LA 710 radio show in Los Angeles, the former Lakers forward had a request for a special delivery.

«If you see Cedric Maxwell,» Thompson said, «tell him I hate him.»

Maxwell, the former Celtic and 1981 Finals MVP whose nickname is «Cornbread,» was happy to lean into the beef following the Celtics' 107-89 Game 1 win later that night.

«Well here's a message I want you to deliver to Mychal,» Maxwell told ESPN, breaking into a wide smile as he took off his headphones after calling the game on the Celtics' radio broadcast inside the arena.

«Tell him: 'F--- you.'»

«And tell it to James Worthy, too.»

While the Mavericks' chances remain slim — the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers are the only team to come back from a 3-1 deficit to win the title — the rivalry between the Lakers and Celtics appears to be thriving during these Finals.

It has been more than a decade since the two teams last met on this stage, with Kobe Bryant's Lakers outlasting Kevin Garnett's Celtics in seven games in 2010 in the 12th Finals meeting between the franchises. But there's something extra at stake as Boston battles with Dallas.

One more win not only will capture another Larry O'Brien Trophy for the Celtics, but it will be Boston's 18th title, breaking a tie with the Lakers for most championships in league history.

It's the reason why Lakers current superstar LeBron James, when previewing the Finals with ESPN's JJ Redick on the «Mind the Game» podcast said, «I know Laker Nation is going for the Dallas Laker-Mavericks.»

And it's the reason why Thompson and other former Lakers have been tuning into