The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most explosive offensive teams in the NBA thanks to LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Austin Reaves, but the Boston Celtics managed to put the clamps on them on Sunday. The Celtics blew out the Lakers 111-89 at Crypto.com Arena, and their head coach, Joe Mazzulla, was asked postgame how they managed to slow down the hosts’ stars.
“I mean, you’re never going to stop them,” Mazzulla said. “I mean, those guys are really good. I think it’s just leveraging what you can live with and what you can take away. And everybody is like, how you going to defend them? How you going to defend them? You got to attack them.
“So, we had 14 turnovers, but I think eight of them were dead-ball turnovers, so they can’t get leak-outs,” Mazzulla continued. “They can’t get transition threes. So you have to play coherent, efficient, disciplined, like real offense. And so I thought we did a good job of that, and then, they only had one dunk. They average five. That helps a lot.
“And we just didn’t give up the little stuff,” Mazzulla added. “Whether it’s the cuts and then just credit to the guys for rebounding. So, they’re so good that it just tests your discipline. And I thought the guys did a good job of that throughout the game.”
It was a defensive clinic by the Celtics. The Lakers went 34-87 (39.1%) from the field and 9-30 (30.0%) from beyond the arc on the night. This was their second-lowest field goal percentage in a game this season, and just the third time they had shot under 40.0%. At least one member of the Big 3 was out on the two other occasions, but that wasn’t the case here. They were all there.
Doncic finished with 25 points (9-22 FG), five rebounds, three assists, and one block. The Slovenian hit a couple of those unstoppable step-back threes, but had very little success when he got closer to the basket. Doncic went just 5-15 on two-pointers, and the Celtics limited him to just six free throw attempts as well.
James, meanwhile, put up 20 points (9-21 FG), four rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. He made his first three shots, but then missed six in a row. James was able to do some damage in the third quarter, but that was about it.
Lastly, we get to Reaves, who had a night to forget on both ends. The 27-year-old was getting targeted defensively and finished with just 15 points (4-10 FG), seven rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. Reaves had 36 points when these teams met earlier this season, but was anonymous offensively here.
Lakers head coach JJ Redick was critical of how his team performed offensively. Redick liked what he saw defensively, but you’re not going to win too many games when you’re that bad on the other end.
The Celtics swept the season series with this win and dropped the Lakers to 34-22. They would have climbed up to third in the West with a win, but now remain fifth.
The Lakers will be in action next against the Orlando Magic at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday at 10:30 PM ET.
As for the Celtics, they improved to 37-19 and remain second in the East. They face off against the Phoenix Suns next at the Mortgage Matchup Center on Tuesday at 9 PM ET.
