Celtics vs. Lakers Playoffs Comparison: Summary and Year by Year

Here you can compare, side by side, the all-time postseason performance of the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers, and how far these two NBA teams advanced in Playoffs each year.

The Boston Celtics have been present in the NBA Playoffs 62 times in 79 seasons while the Los Angeles Lakers did it 65 times in their 77 seasons. Between the two they total 35 of the 78 NBA championships (44.9%).

They have faced each other in 12 playoff series, 9 of them won by the Celtics and 3 by the Lakers.

On this page, after a summary of their Playoff history (with championships won, playoff appearances and all-time records), you can see, side by side, how far the Celtics and the Lakers advanced in the postseason each year. Also, if they met that year, a note with details of the outcome of the series.

Summary of Their Playoff History
	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
Playoff Appearances:	62 (78.5%)	65 (84.4%)
Playoffs Missed:	17 (21.5%)	12 (15.6%)
NBA Titles:	18	17
Finals Lost:	5	15
All-time Playoff Record:	429 wins 320 losses (.573)	466 wins 321 losses (.592)
Total NBA Seasons:	79 1946-47 to present	77 1948-49 to present

Teams Comparison Playoff Performances Year by Year
Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
2025	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2024	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2023	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost Western Conference Finals
2022	Lost NBA Finals	DNQ
2021	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2020	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
2019	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	DNQ
2018	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	DNQ
2017	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	DNQ
2016	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2015	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2014	DNQ	DNQ
2013	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2012	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost Western Conference Semis
2011	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference Semis
2010	Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champions
	* The Lakers defeated the Celtics 4-3 in the Finals.

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
2009	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	NBA Champions
2008	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-2 in the Finals.
2007	DNQ	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2006	DNQ	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
2005	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	DNQ
2004	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost NBA Finals
2003	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference Semis
2002	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	NBA Champions
2001	DNQ	NBA Champions
2000	DNQ	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1989	Lost Eastern Conference 1st Round	Lost NBA Finals
1988	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	NBA Champions
1987	Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champions
	* The Lakers defeated the Celtics 4-2 in the Finals.
1986	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference Finals
1985	Lost NBA Finals	NBA Champions
	* The Lakers defeated the Celtics 4-2 in the Finals.
1984	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-3 in the Finals.
1983	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost NBA Finals
1982	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	NBA Champions
1981	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1980	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	NBA Champions

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1979	DNQ	Lost Western Conference Semis
1978	DNQ	Lost Western Conference 1st Round
1977	Lost Eastern Conference Semis	Lost Western Conference Finals
1976	NBA Champions	DNQ
1975	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	DNQ
1974	NBA Champions	Lost Western Conference Semis
1973	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	Lost NBA Finals
1972	Lost Eastern Conference Finals	NBA Champions
1971	DNQ	Lost Western Conference Finals
1970	DNQ	Lost NBA Finals

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1969	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-3 in the Finals.
1968	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-2 in the Finals.
1967	Lost Eastern Division Finals	Lost Western Division Semis
1966	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-3 in the Finals.
1965	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-1 in the Finals.
1964	NBA Champions	Lost Western Division Semis
1963	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-2 in the Finals.
1962	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-3 in the Finals.
1961	NBA Champions	Lost Western Division Finals
1960	NBA Champions	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1959	NBA Champions	Lost NBA Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
	* The Celtics defeated the Lakers 4-0 in the Finals.
1958	Lost NBA Finals	DNQ (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1957	NBA Champions	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1956	Lost Eastern Division Semis	Lost Western Division Semis (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1955	Lost Eastern Division Finals	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1954	Lost Eastern Division Finals	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1953	Lost Eastern Division Finals	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1952	Lost Eastern Division Semis	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1951	Lost Eastern Division Semis	Lost Western Division Finals (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1950	DNQ	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)

Playoffs	Boston Celtics	Los Angeles Lakers
1949	DNQ	NBA Champions (as Minneapolis Lakers)
1948	Lost First Round	-
1947	DNQ	-