Everything you need to know about the Lakers' 114-112 victory over the Celtics with BSJ insight and analysis
Box Score
HEADLINES
Tatum’s LA show falls short: Jayson Tatum matched his career-high with 41 points but it wasn’t enough for the shorthanded Celtics in an eventful final minute as the Lakers escaped Staples Center with a 114-112 victory. Anthony Davis led the hosts with 32 points and 13 rebounds while LeBron James added 29 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds including the eventual game-winning jumper with just under 30 seconds remaining to extend the Lakers winning streak to five in an instant classic.
Boston led by as many as eight points in the second half but Tatum was slowed down the stretch (just four points in the fourth quarter) as the Lakers threw double teams at him and the C’s couldn’t execute (17 turnovers) with the added ball pressure consistently. Jaylen Brown added 20 points and Daniel Theis added 16 points for the starting five who combined for over 100 points (101 overall) for the second straight game.
The C’s now head to Portland for a matchup with the Blazers who will be without Damian Lillard due to injury.
Bench provides little punch for the second straight game: One game after combining for just 10 points of Boston’s 127 points, the C’s shorthanded reserves lacked firepower again on a national stage scoring just 11 points in a combined 54 minutes in a setback. The Lakers reserves (43 points) nearly quadrupled the C’s up in the scoring column and forced a number of turnovers by the inexperienced group that provided costly in the first half and forced Brad Stevens to stick with his starters for big minutes (Hayward played 40, Brown 39). It remains unclear just when Kemba Walker (sore knee) will return to the lineup but a lack of scoring from the second group ultimately proved to be costly in this matchup against elite competition.
TURNING POINT
There were about four turning points in the final minute but the biggest one likely came when the Celtics failed to corral a rebound on a missed LeBron James free throw with 37 seconds remaining while still holding a one-point lead. James put the Lakers ahead for good on the next possession with a turnaround basket, forcing the C’s to play catchup in the final 30 seconds.
TWO UP
Tatum: The All-Star was close to unstoppable in the middle two quarters, scoring 36 of his career-high 41 points in the two frames on 11/15 FG, 4/6 3pt FGs and 10/11 FTs. He also set a new career-high with 15 free throw attempts on the night.
Theis: The big man followed up his career night without another stellar effort on both ends of the floor despite some tough whistles. He scored 16 points on 6/7 FG and added a team-high 9 rebounds in 31 minutes. He has now shot 50 percent or better from the field in 15 of his last 16 games overall.
THREE DOWN
Enes Kanter: The reserve center played just five first-half minutes and received a DNP-CD in the second half for the second straight game outside of some situational rebounding situations. The big man has played just 14 minutes combined in his last two games as Stevens is losing faith in the Turkish center with his production waning, potentially due to a lingering hip injury.
Gordon Hayward: His production across the board was solid but a couple of bad turnovers and missed bunnies (5-of-15 FG) were costly in this one particularly down the stretch. They couldn’t afford a shooting dud from him in this one without Walker but he didn’t have his rhythm against the Lakers’ length and size for much of the night.
Brad Wanamaker: Three turnovers in 18 minutes can't happen, especially when it leads to fast-break buckets. He needs to be better against ball pressure.
TOP PLAY
THEIS ? pic.twitter.com/UiaiDHku1H
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 23, 2020
TWO TAKES B-ROBB WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
Rob Williams’ return can’t come soon enough with Stevens losing trust in Kanter: Boston’s bench relied on two rookies and a 30-year-old journeyman for the second straight game when it comes to consistent rotation minutes. Inserting Marcus Smart back into that mix when Kemba Walker returns should help but in a game that featured plenty of Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee, Kanter’s ineffectiveness was glaring. He grabbed just two rebounds in his five minutes and was bullied off his spot by Howard on multiple occasions. While his hot run of double-doubles was nice earlier this season, it’s evident now that Kanter hasn’t been the same guy since returning from a hip injury. A returning Williams next week could give the Celtics some more flexibility to sit him down for a few weeks to get him right but more importantly will provide an alternative with good length to play center against long teams like the Lakers when Kanter doesn’t have it. Grant Williams did well to hold his own in 13 minutes but he almost fouled out (5 fouls) in that stretch.
The refs put a blemish on an exciting game in the final minute: On an afternoon when the two teams combined for 67 free throws, there were far too many whistles, mistakes and reviews in the final minute of this one. Whether it was a borderline foul call that sent LeBron James to the line with 37 seconds remaining, a video review that last two minutes too long on an out of bounds play with 30 seconds left (appearing to go off Anthony Davis but inconclusive), or an official that Brad Stevens wasn’t even talking to handing him a technical foul with 15 seconds left in a one-point game, the striped shirts were featured front and center for this one. In what should have been one of the best games of the year, fans are bound to come out of this one with a bitter taste in their mouth based on how the final minute was handled. The technical on Stevens in such a close game was particularly egregious/unnecessary since it would have essentially decided the game if Davis made the free throw.