Ranking the best NBA rivalries of 2024, including Nuggets-Timberwolves

Even when both organizations aren’t major title contenders, the Lakers vs. The Celtics will always be one of the NBA’s best rivalries. It is, after all, maybe THE The NBA rivalry that started it all. From a historical perspective, it should probably be No. 1. I can’t even begin to remember all the tilts between Bill Russell and Jerry West, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, and Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. Tradition runs deep here, folks.

But in the here and now, in the context of 2024, it has to sit at number 4 for me. Of course, it could always (and probably eventually will) come out on top again.