For younger fans, the rivalry between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics doesn't exist. For older fans, it's a different story. If you grew up as a Sixers or Celtics loyalist in the late '70s or '80s, you likely have vivid memories of the greatest rivalry in professional sports. If you think the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees' enmity is intense now -- you would have been captivated by Philly and Boston on the hardwood. You see, comparing anything to Julius Erving's 76ers teams and Larry Bird's Celtics clubs would be like saying Lewis-Holyfield was the equal of Ali-Frazier. The Sixers and Celtics had it all -- history, passion, hate, envy and perhaps what fuels a rivalry most -- similar talent on both sides of the ball. They also kept an eye on each other at all times. For instance, when the Sixers tore through the NBA after acquiring Moses Malone in the 1982-83 season, the chieftain of the Celtics -- Red Auerbach -- was concerned, and not about Moses, believe it or not. The cigar-smoking legend had his own great big men but was obsessed with stopping one of the greatest pure scorers ever -- the aptly nicknamed 'Boston Strangler' -- Andrew Toney. Revisionist basketball historians -- most of them too young to remember the period in question -- say Auerbach acquired the late Dennis Johnson to compete with Magic Johnson and the Lakers. Nothing could be further from the truth. The architect of the Celtics brought in the g ...
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