With a spirited crowd enjoying the pageantry of a Lakers – Celtics clash on Christmas, it was Boston that raced out of the gate, scoring the first 12 points of a game they ultimately won 126-115.
The home team, who fell behind by 18 in that first quarter, rallied furiously to get within one point at halftime. LAL took a 66-64 lead early in the third period before Boston delivered a harsh response, outscoring L.A. 35-24 to close the quarter up nine thanks largely to 14 free throw attempts after LAL were caught early in the bonus. L.A. could get no closer than eight points in the final frame, and will have to wait until February for a rematch against their long-time rival.
“We had some really terrific looks at the rim … shots didn’t fall,” said Darvin Ham of the start. “We made it a game, but in the third quarter, we put them on the free throw line. Fourteen in the third after holding them to nine in the first half, and that really hurt us.”
“They were in the bonus for (most) of the third,” said Austin Reaves, “It’s tough to guard against a team that’s super talented and (in that position). We have to do a better job.”
Anthony Davis was fantastic in defeat, scoring a season-high 40 points*, plus 13 rebounds, four assists and one block while carrying as much weight as he could defensively. LeBron James didn’t have a typical shooting game, hitting just 5 of 14 attempts, though he did grab nine boards with eight assists.
*Not counting the 41 he scored in the In-Season Tournament Final.
After the game, Davis and LeBron both pointed to Boston utilizing Kristaps Porzingis as a weak side rim protector, with the Celtics blocking seven shots to just one from L.A. – the Lakers average 5.8 blocks per game, to Boston’s 6.3 – which proved to be a pivotal factor.
More generally, Reaves was asked about the team’s lack of cohesion, given all of the injuries and different lineups the Lakers have featured thus far, relative to a pretty consistent group that Boston has used.
“It’s not an excuse, but it’s hard to have that chemistry and that knowing factor of what you’re doing at all times,” said Reaves, who had 11 points and six boards off the bench. “Once we get that, we’ll be fine.”
Ham had to go to his bench early after Boston blitzed to the 12-0 start, with Reaves replacing Jarred Vanderbilt, and then Rui Hachimura replacing Taurean Prince in the new-look starting lineup that was 1-0 after a tough road win at OKC on Saturday evening.
That unit saw to a 9-0 close to the first quarter, cutting Boston’s biggest lead in half. The teams traded blows in the second quarter, before a strong close to the period featuring a pair of threes from Prince (5 of 12 for the game) and Davis (2 of 4), plus a short jumper from Davis that trimmed the margin to 58-57.
After the free-throw-heavy third period, Boston managed to hold off L.A. 27-25 in the final period, with each starter scoring at least four points in a versatile attack, while the Lakers got seven from Davis, and six from Rui Hachimura off the bench.
The Celtics had advantages at the free throw line, taking 28 to L.A.’s 21, and turned the ball over four fewer times (12-8) in a relatively clean game from a ball control standpoint. Both teams hit 13 3-pointers, and the Lakers grabbed two more offensive rebounds than the visitors (13-11).
Up next for the Lakers is a home game on Thursday evening against Charlotte, as they try to get back into the win column.