The Boston Celtics, riding a wave of impressive shooting, head to Los Angeles for a Christmas Day showdown with the Lakers, renewing one of the NBA’s most storied rivalries. Boston is coming off two high-scoring victories, including a 145-108 win against the Los Angeles Clippers, where they set a franchise record by making 47 3-pointers across the two games.
Despite not having Jayson Tatum against the Sacramento Kings and missing Kristaps Porzingis against the Clippers, the Celtics demonstrated their shooting prowess. Returning against the Clippers, Tatum scored 30 points, including five 3-pointers. The Christmas Day game will be played in the same arena, where Tatum feels the team’s ability to space the floor makes them hard to defend.
“We just play to our strengths,” Tatum said. “Nine times out of 10, everybody on the floor can space the floor and shoot. No matter if we’re shooting 50 percent or 20 percent, we always want to create the advantage and find the open man.
“I think that’s what makes us so dynamic. Everybody can space the floor, so it’s hard to guard us one-on-one. And if you help, we always got shooters around. It’s all about taking the right shots.”
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Boston’s recent victories mark the first time since 1966 that the Celtics have scored over 140 points in consecutive games. Coach Joe Mazzulla praised the team’s execution and development of a fast-paced identity, emphasizing the importance of balancing pace with minimal turnovers.
“I do like the fact that we’re developing a fast-paced identity and not turning it over,” Mazzulla said. “I think at times in the past, we’ve played fast but turned it over. So we’re finding a good balance of pace and execution, which I think is important. But it’s not because of the points. I just liked our execution.”
On the other hand, the Lakers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 129-120 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. In that game, LeBron James scored a season-high 40 points, including a crucial performance in the final quarter. James’ versatility was on full display as he contributed with rebounds, assists, and blocks.
“To know I can go out and still make game-winning plays and affect the game in multiple ways, and I can still close out a game in the fourth quarter when my team needed it, when they started making a run, it’s always a good feeling, for sure,” James said.
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Anthony Davis and Rui Hachimura also played key roles in the Lakers’ win, with Hachimura coming off the bench to add 21 points. The Lakers had struggled recently, with only one win in six games since their in-season tournament victory. The change in the starting lineup, including D’Angelo Russell moving to a bench role and Jarred Vanderbilt starting, proved effective.
“We’ve been kind of struggling,” Hachimura said. “The schedule, the travel, all of that, but we talked about it after the game, the last game in Minnesota, and said the next game has to be a must-win. (Anthony Davis) said it.
“We’ve got to keep doing it. We just got to get into a rhythm, and the next one’s big, too, the Christmas game against the Celtics. We’ve just got to go out there again like we just did and try to get into rhythm.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers, Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics Updates
Both the Celtics and Lakers are looking to maintain their momentum, with Boston focusing on their dynamic offense and the Lakers seeking to build on their recent success. The Christmas Day game presents a crucial opportunity for both teams to assert their strength in the league.
