AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
The Los Angeles Lakers bounced back from Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Clippers with a 117-102 win over the Boston Celtics at Staples Center on Tuesday night.
LeBron James led the way with 30 points as Los Angeles improved to 13-12. The Lakers led by as many as 20 points in the second half.
Boston is also 13-12 after the loss. Jayson Tatum had a team-high 34 points to go with eight rebounds. The Celtics were without forward Jaylen Brown, who missed his third straight game because of a lingering hamstring injury.
Notable Player Stats
F LeBron James, LAL: 30 points (13-of-19 FG)
G Russell Westbrook, LAL: 24 points, 11 assists
F Anthony Davis, LAL: 17 points, 16 rebounds
F Jayson Tatum, BOS: 34 points, 8 rebounds
Lakers Defense Picks Up on Tuesday Night
Los Angeles has struggled on the defensive end this season, giving up 113.4 points per game entering Tuesday (29th in the NBA). Against the Celtics, the Lakers flipped a switch and played the stifling defense head coach Frank Vogel has been longing for all season.
Things looked shaky to start when Tatum opened up with 14 points in the first quarter, but Los Angeles locked in quickly. Boston was held to 8-of-22 shooting in the second quarter.
The halftime break didn’t help matters as the Celtics opened the third quarter missing seven straight shots. The Lakers were able to get out in transition and went on a 15-7 run to take a 75-62 lead.
Los Angeles continued to play with great energy on the defensive end and forced the Celtics into 12 turnovers through three quarters. The lead eventually grew to 19 on this emphatic dunk by Westbrook.
The Lakers proved that they can defend at a high level. Their activity and hustle were stark contrasts to how they have played throughout this season.
Los Angeles has taken some surprising losses this year thanks in large part to its defensive struggles. The team needs to commit to continue playing with the effort it showed Tuesday. If the Lakers can continue to play strong defense, they will establish themselves as the title contenders they were expected to be this season.
Celtics Fail to Take Advantage of Tatum’s Big Night
Tatum was outstanding on Tuesday night, opening the game with 14 straight points.
Tatum was efficient in his performance, attacking on the inside, from the mid-range and beyond the three-point line. He shot 13-of-22 and made five of his seven three-point attempts.
Unfortunately, Tatum didn’t have much help as the Celtics struggled to get going against the swarming Los Angeles defense.
Boston’s defense was porous Tuesday, allowing Los Angeles to score 66 points in the paint.
The Celtics looked like they couldn’t keep up with the energy of the Lakers at times. The loss should be a wake-up call for a team that was expected to be among the contenders in the Eastern Conference.
When Brown returns and the team is back at full strength, Boston will have to raise its effort level to be able to truly compete against the NBA’s top teams.
What’s Next?
The Lakers will hit the road to face the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday. The Celtics will remain in Los Angeles to take on the Clippers on Wednesday.
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