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Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs

Sega Genesis

Sega Genesis

Lakers vs. Celtics is a basketball game featuring real NBA teams. Gameplay is action-oriented with an emphasis on offense. Play an exhibition game or try to win the NBA title in the playoff tournament mode. A season mode is not available. You can substitute tired players but there aren't any othe...

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Developer
Electronic Arts

Released on
1990

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Sega Genesis

Requirements
Sega Genesis

Downloads
Sports

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

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Description

Lakers vs. Celtics is a basketball game featuring real NBA teams. Gameplay is action-oriented with an emphasis on offense. Play an exhibition game or try to win the NBA title in the playoff tournament mode. A season mode is not available. You can substitute tired players but there aren’t any other management options.

The DOS version has ten ’88-’89 NBA teams, including the East and West All-Stars. You can play with some of the biggest names in NBA history including Kareem, Bird, Jordan and Ewing. Several star players have their own signature move.

The Genesis version, which was released one year later, has ten NBA teams from the ’89-’90 season. It also adds more signature moves, different home- and away-jerseys, player portraits for the starting five, voice-samples for the referee and counts the number of personal fouls a players has committed.

Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs

Released for the Sega Genesis in 1991 by Electronic Arts, Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs is a landmark title in sports video game history. Capitalizing on the legendary rivalry between Magic Johnson's Los Angeles Lakers and Larry Bird's Boston Celtics, this game was the first console basketball simulator to secure official NBA licensing. This allowed the inclusion of authentic team names, logos, and fifteen actual playoff rosters from the 1990-1991 season, including Michael Jordan’s Chicago Bulls, the physical Detroit Pistons "Bad Boys," and the Portland Trail Blazers. It successfully bridged the gap between simple arcade sports games and realistic simulations, laying the foundational design principles for the future NBA Live series. The Genesis version improved vastly on the 1989 MS-DOS original with faster frame rates and richer 16-bit audio.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

The gameplay features a revolutionary horizontal, TV-style broadcast camera angle that captures the full strategic width of the court. Unlike its arcade peers, this simulation emphasizes tactical realism over mindless running. Players must carefully manage real-time team fatigue, as exhausted superstars suffer drastic drop-offs in shooting accuracy and running speed. The defining mechanic is the inclusion of "Signature Moves" for star players. Gamers can execute Michael Jordan's acrobatic reverse layup, Larry Bird’s high-arching set shot, and Magic Johnson's signature no-look dish. Scoring requires learning the unique release timing of each athlete's jump shot, while defense relies on timing blocks, stealing passes, and establishing positioning to draw charging fouls. Players can choose between a single exhibition game or a full tournament bracket to win the championship.