The Lakers and Celtics met up on Christmas to play the first game of their rivalry this season. Both teams came into this season as presumed title contenders, but only one team has lived up to that billing. They lived up to it again, as the Celtics handily beat the Lakers 126-115. prompting fans on the internet to react strongly.
Final pic.twitter.com/Lk9Y27XYTX
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) December 26, 2023
Lakers fans were furious that an Anthony Davis masterclass performance went to waste.
Wasted an Anthony Davis masterclass pic.twitter.com/xNbiPS0sgQ
— Oluwajomiloju (@JomiAdeniran) December 26, 2023
Lakers fans realized that they were over-dependent on players like LeBron and Austin Reaves to keep their offense going.
https://twitter.com/JamesEdrick3/status/1739442172946997327
Dans mocked the Lakers for losing yet another Christmas Game, a pattern in the LeBron James era.
Lakers lose again on Christmas pic.twitter.com/hVQWw3JdI7
— LakeShowYo (@LakeShowYo) December 26, 2023
Fans were shocked that the Lakers are stuck as an average team even with both Anthony Davis and LeBron James playing healthy basketball.
AD and Bron healthy all season and the Lakers still suck pic.twitter.com/x0DbQGMwcW
— Sam Yeezy (@samstaydipped) December 26, 2023
Other NBA fans think that the Lakers may need to look at non-Austin Reaves options for late-game situations due to his poor defense.
and i hate to tell lakers fans this (i don’t) but austin reaves can’t close games cause teams hunt him and then he gets his jaw cracked
— SJ (@SJBasketball8) December 26, 2023
Celtics superfan Dave Portnoy heavily mocked James for selling an injury after bumping knees with Jaylen Brown.
I was at the movies. I was just told Lebron died during the Celtics game. I know I've made fun of him in the past but I'd like to pay my respects. #riplebron pic.twitter.com/FYFMVcfo90
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 26, 2023
LeBron responded to possibly having hurt his knee by flying around the rim, something people marveled at given the supposed injury he suffered earlier.
lebron is fucking superhuman i've never seen anything like this
bumpeed knees on a nasty play
5 min later chasing down jayson tatum for a clear rejection
I'm watching science fiction dawg
— 𝘾𝙤𝙖𝙘𝙝 𝙎𝙝𝙪𝙗𝙝 ⁶𓅓 (@OVOLakeShow) December 25, 2023
The Lakers had one star worth talking about, as Anthony Davis dropped 40 points with 13 rebounds. No other Laker even cracked 20 points, with Taurean Prince ending the night as the second-highest scorer with 17 points. LeBron James only managed 16 points, while Austin Reaves had only 11 points.
The Celtics starting five proved why they’re better than the Lakers in clear and uncertain terms. All of their starters scored over 15 points, with Kristaps Porzingis leading the way with 28 points and 11 rebounds. Jayson Tatum put up 25 points while Jaylen Brown put up 19 points, along with both Jrue Holiday and Derrick White putting in 18 points apiece.
Are The Lakers Too Far Gone?
Without any more help on the horizon, the Lakers need to either start winning with this roster or make big changes to give LeBron James and Anthon Davis one last chance at contention. The pair have paid the Lakers’ faith back in him by not only staying healthy but playing at a very consistent high level all season long.
Davis has previously stressed the fact that the Lakers need to find a way to get things done regardless of how challenging it might be.
“There’s no break coming, there’s no help coming, there’s no cavalry. We got to do it within this locker room. We got everyone back. We just got to find a way to get in the win column.”
The team does make sense on paper, with solid spacing and very good defensive personnel. But both sides of the ball haven’t been played consistently by the Lakers. The second they find their rhythm again, like we did during the In-Season Tournament, the Lakers will be back threatening the West again.
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