It isn’t just fans of the Boston Celtics who relish the idea of facing off with the Los Angeles Lakers — back in 1986 when the Celtics ended up drawing the Houston Rockets as a finals opponent, Boston Hall of Fame big man Kevin McHale was as disappointed as many fans were they wouldn’t be playing Los Angeles. “I was disappointed somewhat that Houston beat the Lakers,” said McHale in the ’86 Celtics Interviews via Basketball Network’s Virgil Villanueva.

“I really wanted a piece of the Lakers in ’86,” he added. “Once Houston got there, I never thought for a second that Houston could beat us. I looked at that team and just said there’s just no way.”

“I knew the Lakers could do this and this and this, and I thought Houston could do this”, said McHale.

“They’re not going to hit us player for player or play for play or toughness for toughness,” recalled the Celtics great.

“It was an inevitability in my mind that we were just going to win. I would have much rather beaten the Lakers, but Houston was there, so we were going to beat them.”

And beat them they did.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire