The Boston Celtics take every tilt with the Los Angeles Lakers deadly serious, and the Lakers tend to do the same. That historic rivalry rarely takes a form like we see when the two storied ball clubs meet in the NBA Finals, but a Christmas Day matchup is about as close as it gets in the regular season.
So this year’s Lakers – Celtics tilt on Christmas brought plenty of anticipation with it, and for good reason. The first season in a long time when both clubs could realistically be in the mix for winning a title at the same time, for some, this game could well be a preview of a tie-breaking nature for which of the two old foes will get to 18 banners first.
The Celtics certainly came out the gate with clear designs on crushing their opponent.
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Early action in the first quarter saw Jaylen Brown on the attack, showing good chemistry with Kristaps Porzingis. The Lakers quickly began to look outmatched with Boston leaping out to as much as a 15-point lead as Los Angeles leaned heavily on LeBron James and Anthony Davis on both ends.
Derrick White slithered through the Lakers’ defense like a hot knife through butter, but a pair of quick fouls put Porzingis on his heels defensively. Still, that opened up opportunity for two way big man Neemias Queta.
Signs of life came from Los Angeles late in the first frame, with a 9-0 run getting the Lakers back into striking range.
All 36 Boston Celtics Christmas Day game results https://t.co/otvy4uuVq3 pic.twitter.com/ql1BLmbY3v
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 25, 2023
Queta showed off why he is still on a two way deal with a goaltend soon after followed by a block of LeBron, and Jrue Holiday broke Boston’s shooting slump with a 3 early in the second quarter. Los Angeles stayed hot as Taurean Prince and Payton Pritchard traded buckets and Queta forced a James travel.
Pritchard carried Boston for 10 straight points, but the Lakers kept attacking, cutting the lead to 1 on a LeBron dunk. Soon after, LeBron and Brown collided knee to back respectively, scarily sending both to the floor and Brown to the locker room, questionable to return.
Prince would tie the game at 52 from the corner before a signature James chasedown block on Tatum would initially be called a foul only to be reversed on a challenge…that highlighted a foul on Prince for the same play, Boston up 58-57 going into the half.
The Boston Celtics wrapped gifts – and the results were hilarious https://t.co/O71lNPlX82 pic.twitter.com/Kn3hcVUiLU
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 25, 2023
The third quarter saw the Lakers take the lead on a LeBron finger roll, and a return to the court for Jaylen Brown. The two clubs traded punches with multiple lead changes in short order punctuated by a flush from the Georgia native and a Porzingis and-1.
Brown certainly looked healthy with a triple-effort bucket making that case, while KP and Anthony Davis battled on both ends. Another block from Derrick White upheld his reputation as the best backcourt rim protector in the league.
A long trey from Austin Reaves cut Boston’s lead to 4, but the Celtics answered big and pushed it back up to double digits as the bench began to come to life for Boston. Tatum sent Boston into the final frame with a 9-point lead after being fouled on a 3-point attempt.
What every Boston Celtics player should want for Christmas https://t.co/VxHXMsSjH4 pic.twitter.com/zp8KOGJOhY
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 25, 2023
Both sides were sloppy to start the fourth with Brown dropping his defender but missing, only to see LeBron miss a layup on the other end. Chaotic play ensued, broken by a Holiday make. Brown continued to attack aggressively despite his injury, and White attacked the cup to great effect.
The Lakers refused to fold, but Boston’s superior firepower held them at bay even as a hook shot got Davis to 38 points. The Celtics targeted Reaves on the other end to good effect, pushing the lead as high as 14 points on a Porzingis dunk late in the quarter.
The two rivals traded blows a few more times, but Boston held the day to take a 126-115 win on the Celtics’ 37th-ever Christmas Day game.
Does a Los Angeles Lakers – Boston Celtics rivalry game still pack a punch? https://t.co/giPJZSLnWX pic.twitter.com/1ZGJJRhYGm
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 25, 2023
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