Starting Thursday, the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers meet for the twelfth time in the National Basketball Association finals. The Lakers have traditionally showcased superstars, from George Mikan, the NBA's first big man in the 1940s, through Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O"€™Neal, to Kobe Bryant today. In contrast, the Celtics, at their best, have exemplified team play. Before 1968-1969, for example, the Lakers augmented their Hall of Fame duo of Elgin Baylor and Jerry West with 7"€™1"€ Wilt Chamberlain, the greatest offensive player of the era. In the 1969 finals, ...