The Los Angeles Lakers faced a familiar foe at the Crypto.com arena on Thursday night: their longtime rivals, the Boston Celtics. Just two days after their blowout win over the Wizards, LeBron James and Anthony Davis carried all the momentum to lead their team to a surprising upset victory over the second seed in the East.
The Lakers looked solid in what was arguably their best game of the season. At 31-13 coming into the game, the Celtics are one of the best teams in the NBA right now but they didn’t look like it tonight as the Lakers pretty much dominated from start to finish. The final score wasn’t even close as the Lakers made a strong statement with four quarters of quality basketball against the defending champions.
In 31 minutes of play, Anthony Davis finished with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists on 9-18 shooting. Austin Reaves tallied 23 points, 3 rebounds, and 6 assists on 7-13 shooting. Meanwhile, LeBron James finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists on 9-20 shooting from the field.
For the Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis was their leading scorer with 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 assists on 9-16 shooting. In 33 minutes, Jaylen Brown put up 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists on 7-19 shooting. Jayson Tatum totaled 16 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists on 5-12 shooting.
So much history exists between the Lakers and Celtics and every time they meet will always be an extra intense experience. Even in a blowout like this, there is something to be learned, and for the Lakers especially there are several things to be excited about regarding their performance tonight.Â
Best Duo In The NBA
You can’t talk about the Lakers without talking about their star duo. Once again, LeBron James and Anthony Davis carried the Lakers on both ends of the floor and they were the catalysts behind the upset win.
Anthony Davis was the player of the game with 24 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 31 minutes while LeBron James added 20 points, 14 rebounds, and 6 assists. Together, they kept the offense working all night long and set the tone defensively with high-effort plays.
At 40 and 31 years old, respectively, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are veterans in the NBA and they have years of experience together. By now, it’s no surprise that they’ve developed some real chemistry and it’s just about the only thing keeping the Lakers relevant in the Western Conference playoff picture.
Major Boost Off The Bench
Depth has been a major issue for the Lakers in the past and it’s no secret that the Lakers are looking to upgrade their supporting cast this year. But the bench played their role tonight and they executed a brilliant offense against the Celtics to prevent a comeback and seal the win for the Lakers.
Five different players scored in the second unit and they combined for 34 points. Dalton Knecht led all scorers off the bench with 13 points and 4 rebounds on 5-7 shooting. In another standout performance, Gabe Vincent dropped 12 points, 1 rebound, and 4 assists on 4-8 shooting.
That’s not to mention Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, who combined for just 2 points in a great defensive performance. The Lakers must be doing something right to outduel one of the deepest teams in the league but anything is possible when multiple players are stepping up at the right time.
Low Turnovers Maximized Opportunities
The Lakers rank 24th in the league right now in turnovers at 13.4 per game and it’s been a major problem for them all season long. Tonight, however, they showed some major improvement in that category and it helped them win the game.
As a team, Los Angeles only had six turnovers in the game but they managed to accumulate 27 assists, meaning that the offense was running smoothly with very few mistakes. It allowed the Celtics no room for a comeback since the Lakers never gave them a chance.
If they can sustain this kind of care with the basketball, it’ll go a long way toward elevating the Lakers’ position in the West. Tonight, at the very least, it was enough to win a crucial game against a vastly superior opponent.
At 24-18 now, the Lakers are feeling good about their standing in the West and their odds to compete with the NBA’s elite. Together, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have brought prosperity back to the Lakers but the job is far from over and the hard work is only just beginning.
The next assignment for the Lakers is tomorrow, January 25th, against the Golden State Warriors at Chase Center. Then, they play the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center on January 27th before a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center at 7:30 PM EST on January 28th.
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