Last year’s big win is a memory

It’s a page of Boston sports lore that the local folks would rather not remember.

The Lakers crushed the Celtics last season in Boston, 122-96, driving them to a franchise record-tying 13th consecutive loss (they would ultimately hit 18) as Kobe Bryant had 38 points, eight rebounds and eight assists.

The lasting impressions, however, were the “M-V-P” and “Ko-be, Ko-be” chants heard from a handful of Lakers fans in the crowd.

“It’s the most amazing feat in basketball that won’t ever show up in the record books,” longtime Lakers trainer Gary Vitti said incredulously at the time. “Boston fans yelled “M-V-P” for our guy.”

Now that the Celtics’ ship is in order, the fans will be yelling at the Lakers tonight, not with them.

Ray Allen arrived from Seattle in June, then Kevin Garnett from Minnesota in July, and Paul Pierce was already there, so the Celtics are off to a 9-1 start.

Boston foundered for the better part of two decades, and then, as Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said, “Red [Auerbach] came out of the grave and got Kevin [McHale] to make the trade the right way and they’re back on top, playing well.”

The Lakers were right there in the sweepstakes for Garnett, but McHale, Minnesota’s vice president of basketball operations, ultimately sent him to the Celtics for a package anchored by up-and-coming forward Al Jefferson and two first-round draft picks.

Minnesota owner Glen Taylor suggested recently that the Lakers and Timberwolves were not close to making a deal, but Jackson sported a quizzical look when told that Wednesday.

“The owner said that? I don’t think that’s truthful,” Jackson said.

The Lakers offered Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum to try to entice the Timberwolves, but it wasn’t enough to appease McHale, an All-Star forward for the Celtics in his playing days.

The NBA history tomes will show that Garnett went east, not west, which leaves the Lakers with a flurry of worry as they head into Boston.

“They have a lot of talent, they have a lot of firepower,” Bryant said. “It’s a matchup nightmare for all the coaches. It’s tough to devise a plan to match up with them because they have so many weapons.”

The Celtics’ rejuvenation led Bryant to briefly recall the Lakers-Celtics rivalry of the 1980s.

“I couldn’t stand them, man. [Larry] Bird, McHale, [Danny] Ainge?” Bryant said. “Ainge was like a little pest. I couldn’t stand the guy. But when you grow older, you understand that it’s just beautiful basketball.”

Bryant was asked whether he would welcome a revival of the Lakers-Celtics rivalry.

“If it gets back to that, it means we’re playing at a championship level,” he said, smiling. “So yes, I would.”

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LAKERS TONIGHT

at Boston, 4:30 PST (5:30, Ch. 9)

Site -- TD Banknorth Garden.

Radio -- 570, 1330.

Records -- Lakers 7-4, Celtics 9-1.

Record vs. Celtics (2006-07) -- 2-0.

Update -- The Celtics have won their six home games by an average of 22 points.

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mike.bresnahan@latimes.com