The LA Lakers will face the Boston Celtics on February 1 (Thursday) at TD Garden. The Lakers are heading to this upcoming contest after two consecutive losses. They will be facing one of the toughest teams in the league now. The Lakers are 1-2 on their road trip, with defeats against the Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. The last time both teams faced each other was on Christmas 2023. Anthony Davis scored 40 points in that game, but it was not enough for the Lakers to win over the Celtics.
Meanwhile, Boston bounced back from a loss to the LA Clippers with wins over the New Orleans Pelicans and Indiana Pacers to remain at the top of the Eastern Conference with a 37-11 record. The Celtics have lost only twice at home. They have had better of their arch rivals in as many contests and lead the regular season contests 166-133.
Preview
Before the season, the Lakers and Celtics were considered the leading contenders. Both teams’ star power, depth and versatility were listed as reasons for the two teams to be in the championship race. Halfway through the season, the Celtics are the favorites to win the championship, but the Lakers have yet to get above the .500 mark despite hovering around it for the past few games.
The Lakers raised hopes of winning the championship after winning the inaugural in-season tournament. However, since then, this season has not been that good. Heading into the upcoming game, the Lakers will need to be at their best defensively to prevent a two-game losing streak against Boston. According to the NBA’s outlook on the game, LA has allowed its opponents to score 120 points on defense in the last five games.
LA has misfired throughout the season. Meanwhile, the Celtics have been the team to beat this season. They are 4-1 in their last five games and are coming off a 124-121 win over the Indiana Pacers. Their defense has been incredible throughout the season, which makes them the best team in the league this season.
Their transition plays have overwhelmed opponents, while their offense is averaging 120.4 points per game, as their superstars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are being consistent. They dominate and shoot three-pointers in waves, which LA has struggled to do all season.
Starting lineup
The Lakers have Davis listed as questionable in their injury report. He missed the last game due to hip spasms. LeBron James is also questionable for the game. Cam Reddish and Gabe Vincent are out. If Davis suits up, the Lakers will certainly go with their old and balanced unit. D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves will be included as well. James and Jarred Vandebilt will take their spots, while Davis will return to the starting five.
Meanwhile, the Celtics have listed Luke Kornet as questionable. The remaining players are available. Their likely lineup is expected to include Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Kristaps Porzingis.
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Prediction
The Celtics are favorites because of their amazing form. Porzingis is fueling Boston’s offense and could be a big problem for Russell and Reaves, who have yet to gel in the Lakers’ backcourt. Davis will likely regress, which is one of the positives for the Lakers. Nevertheless, this is still a winning game for the Celtics, so expect them to continue their winning streak against the Lakers.
