Lakers-Celtics is must-see TV

For those who can’t wait to see the Lakers take on the Kevin Garnett Celtics, well, you are going to have to . . .

Lakers at Boston Celtics (today, 5:30 p.m. delayed, Channel 9): Remember when the Lakers and the Celtics formed the greatest rivalry in the NBA? Remember when the Lakers and the Celtics met in epic championship confrontations that represented at once a clash of coasts, cultures, philosophies and dynasties? Remember when the NBA tape-delayed its Finals?

Welcome to Throwback Friday, when the Lakers and the Celtics tip off at 4:30 p.m. local time and KCAL will freeze that moment in time for an hour. Three weeks ago, this appeared to be an exercise in holiday cruelty -- the loaded-with-all-the-trimmings Celtics flaunting their cornucopia of riches in the faces of Kobe Bryant and the leftovers. But then the Lakers won seven of their first 10 games, and the Celtics finally lost a game, and a Boston-L.A. basketball game on Thanksgiving Weekend 2007 suddenly has an old-times kind of feel.

Scratching off another name from Bryant’s wish list . . .

New Jersey Nets at Lakers (Sunday, 6:30 p.m., FSNW): Before Bryant wanted the Lakers to trade for Garnett, he wanted the Lakers to trade for Jason Kidd. Bryant didn’t get his way with either request and, well, we have seen how Bryant responded to that. Worth mentioning, considering Sunday’s get-together: Despite Kidd’s continued presence, the Nets are last in the NBA in scoring.

Meanwhile, a big game looms for the Clippers . . .

Clippers at Phoenix Suns (tonight, 6 p.m. FSNW): Some are calling this a preview of the next time the Clippers play the Suns.

A good chance to scout the next Michigan Wolverines football coach . . .

Arkansas at Louisiana State (today, 11:30 a.m., Channel 2): Les Miles likes to give lectures. Earlier this week, the Louisiana State football coach told the media that he was doing what the media should be doing, which is concentrating on the “Our Kansas� game instead of the Michigan coaching vacancy.

Miles knows better than that. The media are going to remain fixated by the Michigan coaching vacancy until it is filled -- hot media rumor: Miles to Ann Arbor! And the media certainly are not going to listen to advice from anyone who pronounces Arkansas “Our Kansas,� as Miles did on television the other day.

Why did he do that? Was it just a slip of the tongue? Was it intended as a jab at Arkansas’ football program and fans? Or was he already thinking ahead to Louisiana State’s possible opponent in the Bowl Championship Series title game?

Ladies and gentlemen, your Kansas takes on your Missouri in the most important Jayhawks-Tigers football game of your lifetime . . .

Missouri versus Kansas (Saturday, 5 p.m., Channel 7): ESPN.com calls this game “the 116th and most significant meeting of this rivalry.� Such declarations are always best met with two wary eyes, but in this case, it’s tough to mount an argument. Neither school has won as much as a share of a conference football title since the late 1960s, but the winner of this game has a very good chance of playing for the national title in January.

During a season in which USC can lose at home to Stanford and Michigan can lose at home to Appalachian State, why not put No. 2 Kansas and No. 4 Missouri in Arrowhead Stadium for a shot at the Big 12 Conference and BCS title games?

A Leaf against the Bruins. And this isn’t an NHL game? . . .

Oregon at UCLA (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., Channel 7): No Dennis Dixon, no Ben Olson, no Patrick Cowan, no big-game vibe in this matchup of Ryan Leaf’s little brother, Brady, and UCLA quarterback-turned-receiver-turned-quarterback-again Osaar Rasshan. In all likelihood, the last chance for either team to play in the Rose Bowl this season.

Boom! Boom! Out go the lights! . . .

Boise State at Hawaii (tonight, 6 p.m., ESPN2): Hawaii ranks first in the nation in average points a game, 48.0. Boise State is third in the nation, 44.2. On Oct. 14, Boise State defeated Nevada, 69-67, in the highest-scoring NCAA Division I-A game since 1937. Clearly, an opportunity to rewrite history is at hand in Honolulu.

Are we not fans? We have TiVo . . .

Notre Dame at Stanford (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., ESPN) and Duke at North Carolina (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., ESPNU) and Oklahoma State at Oklahoma (Saturday, 12:30 p.m., FSNW): First game matches two football programs not better off since Tyrone Willingham left. Second game would look a lot better on a basketball court. Third game would have looked a lot better had Oklahoma not lost to Texas Tech last week.

Are we not interested in watching the new Heisman Trophy front-runner? We have Tebow . . .

Florida State at Florida (Saturday, 2 p.m., Channel 2): Florida quarterback Tim Tebow is the first player in NCAA history to pass and rush for 20 touchdowns in the same season. Working against him in the Heisman race: He’s a sophomore, and the Gators have already lost three games. Working for him: He’s still standing.

Mix it up already . . .

Kings at Ducks (Sunday, 5 p.m., FSNW, Prime): The Kings’ schedule for the month of November: at San Jose, San Jose, Dallas, at Anaheim, Anaheim, Phoenix, at Dallas, at Phoenix, at San Jose, at Anaheim, at San Jose. And the NHL wonders why it hasn’t converted more new fans.

Punt . . .

Oakland Raiders at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 10 a.m., Channel 2): Tradition is overrated.

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