Documentary on Lakers-Celtics excels

Mark Podolski says the “30 for 30” documentary “Celtics-Lakers: Best of Enemies” about the NBA teams’ rivalry of the 1980s is well worth viewing.

Every once in a while, I’ll dust off my collection of trading cards from my youth.

One of my most prized possessions is the rare 1980 NBA Topps 3-in-1 rookie card featuring Magic Johnson and Larry Bird.

It’s one of the most popular cards in the history of the industry.

The card is a reminder of the golden era of the NBA, when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson ruled the league. Some say they saved it, too.

There are several books about the Celtics-Lakers rivalry and a very good HBO documentary, but that era’s latest tribute is a runaway success, much like the way Bird and Johnson dominated in the ’80s.

ESPN’s latest “30 for 30” is titled “Celtics-Lakers: Best of Enemies.”

Tell your family and friends to tune for the two-part documentary. It’s the best “30 for 30” ESPN has ever produced.

Part 1 highlights the stranglehold the Celtics had against the Lakers in the 1960s, but that’s just a setup to the 1984 NBA Finals, when Bird and Johnson faced off for the first time in the NBA.

Bird’s Celtics bested Johnson’s Lakers in seven games.

The twist and turns of that series, plus the drama from all angles was enough for its own 30 for 30, but the way the history of the rivalry is played out is TV mastery.

Part 2 on June 14 chronicles the 1985 and 1987 NBA Finals between the Celtics and Lakers.

It’s nostalgia, a rivalry at its best, goose bumps, hatred and hoops rolled into two nights of can’tmiss TV.

Former Lakers coach Pat Riley steals the show with his candid comments. His frustration of being unable to get over the Celtics hump, and then the elation of breaking through in 1985, oozes through the TV screen.

Bill Walton, who joined the Celtics in 1986, is slapyour-knees hilarious, as is former Celtics reserve, towel-waver and instigator M.L. Carr.

Rapper and actor Ice Cube is the narrator from the Lakers’ perspective, while actor Donnie Wahlberg narrates the Celtics’ perspective.

That’s appropriate since a portion of the 30 for 30’s narrative is about the racial tone of the rivalry with Bird being white and Johnson black.

Said Johnson about the Celtics-Lakers rivalry: “The country was split.”

The hatred was real, and still is to this day.

Johnson closed out the documentary with this: “The one thing in life I hate is the Boston Celtics.”

The one thing any sports fan will love this summer is this documentary.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE The Lakers’ Magic Johnson scrambles for the ball on the floor of The Forum during the NBA Finals in Inglewood, Calif., on June 2, 1987. Johnson is surrounded by unidentified Celtics players. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is at left.