HOT CORNER

A consumer’s guide to the best and worst of sports media and merchandise. Ground rules: If it can be read, played, heard, observed, worn, viewed, dialed or downloaded, it’s in play here. One exception: No products will be endorsed.

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What: “NBA Hardwood Classics: The Player and the Coach.”

Where: History Channel, Friday, 8 p.m.

The fact that Boston had the lowest television rating of any major city for Game 1 of the NBA Finals may be an indication that there is not a lot of fondness for the Lakers among Bostonians.

Conversely, there may be some hatred felt toward Coach Red Auerbach, Hall of Fame center Bill Russell and the Boston Celtic dynasty in these parts. Nevertheless, this one-hour documentary on the relationship between Auerbach and Russell is worth a look. For one thing, it is very well done.

Another plus is the job Bill Walton does as narrator.

There are many fascinating tidbits, including one by Boston Globe columnist and Auerbach biographer Dan Shaughnessy, who describes how the Celtics obtained the rights to Russell before the 1956 NBA draft.

The Celtics traded future Hall of Famer Ed Macauley to the St. Louis Hawks for the No. 2 draft pick. Rochester had the No. 1 pick, so to ensure the Royals did not pick Russell, Celtic owner Walter Brown gave Royal owner Lester Harrison some Ice Capades shows at his arena.

“So not only was Ed Macauley traded to get Russell, so were the Ice Capades,” Shaughnessy says.

Appearing in this documentary are former Celtics Tom Sanders, Tom Heinsohn, John Thompson, John Havlicek, Sam Jones and Bob Cousy. Also, Jim Brown and Oscar Robertson are among those who talk about the racial climate of the times.

Celtic fans, in particular, should enjoy this one-hour retrospective. But so should anyone who is a history buff.

-- Larry Stewart