The buzz about the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers revisiting history or developing a new rivalry has been entertaining reading, and at least one angle of the teams’ postseason history will be played out in the 2008 Finals.

Lakers coach Phil Jackson is in pursuit of his 10th championship as a coach, which would surpass Celtics coaching legend Red Auerbach for the most all-time. Jackson has won six titles with Chicago and three more with Los Angeles. Auerbach, who died in October 2006, was at the helm for nine of Boston’s championships.

Most of the Finals’ other storylines will develop on the court, though the history and numbers add to the drama. Here are a few historical bits unearthed by STATS’ Los Angeles-based Research Department:

• Winning Game 1 in Boston could be the catalyst to an NBA crown for the Lakers. They have won their last 16 best-of-seven series when they won Game 1. The last time the Lakers lost a series after winning the opener, Jackson was on the other sideline coaching the Bulls in the 1991 Finals.

• The Celtics are 22-10 at home in all NBA Finals meetings with the Lakers. On the other hand, Los Angeles has won three of the last five NBA Finals matchups in Boston.

• The last time the Lakers traveled to Boston to play Game 1 of the NBA Finals was May 27, 1985. The Celtics claimed a 148-114 victory, which was dubbed the “Memorial Day Massacre.”

• Boston big man Kevin Garnett has recorded a double-double in 31 of his last 35 games against the Lakers, which includes 11 in 12 postseason games. In two previous playoff series against the Lakers -- with Minnesota in 2003 and ’04 -- Garnett averaged 25.3 points and 14.6 rebounds.

• The Lakers’ Kobe Bryant has averaged 26.8 points per game in 10 appearances in Boston -- all at the current TD Banknorth Garden. Among active players, Bryant is tied with Carmelo Anthony for the second-highest average posted in Boston. Dirk Nowitzki is first with a 27.8-point average.

How the Celtics attempt to contain Bryant, and how the Lakers manage to cover the 7-foot Garnett, may have the most to do with how the 2008 Finals play out. And to think that both Bryant and Garnett could have been Lakers this season.

“We lost out on the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes,” Jackson joked during a recent conversation with AP Sports Writer Tom Withers about Auerbach and the record. “Red Auerbach came out of the grave and told (general manager) Kevin (McHale) to give him to the Celtics so the Celtics can get back in the running.”