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Celtics Wrap: Boston Grinds Out OT Win To Defeat Rival Lakers
Another chapter in the Celtics-Lakers rivalry was written


NESN by Greg Dudek

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics delivered a pulse-pounding win in overtime Saturday night by topping the rival Los Angeles Lakers, 125-121, at TD Garden on Saturday.

The win snaps a three-game losing streak for the Celtics and improves their NBA-best record to 36-15 while the Lakers fell to 23-27

ONE BIG TAKEAWAY
It was far from the best performance of the season for the Celtics. But they showed they can tough it out, show no-quit and pick up a gritty win. It also helped that they picked up a little luck at the end of regulation, too.

It sure wasn’t easy for the Celtics to get to the finish line on top, but they matched all of the Lakers’ responses with answers of their own. And Boston also got some clutch play from Jaylen Brown, Malcolm Brogdon and Al Horford.

Lakers superstar LeBron James gave the Celtics everything they could handle and then some. James was incredulous after he was clearly fouled by Jayson Tatum on a layup attempt as time expired in regulation but the referees missed the call.

Maybe the ghost of Red Auerbach prevented the officials from seeing it as the game a part of another wild chapter in the rivalry of these two storied franchises.

STARS OF THE GAME
— Jaylen Brown battled foul trouble for the majority of the game, but got a little redemption after shrinking in the moment against the Knicks by coming up clutch in the fourth quarter and overtime. Brown tallied a team-high 37 points on 13-for-23 shooting to go along with nine rebounds.

— James, as he usually does, led the way for the Lakers with 41 points on 15-for-30 shooting to go along with nine rebounds and eight assists.

— Malcolm Brogdon is as steady as they come off the bench. He delivered 26 of Boston’s 28 bench points in the X.

WAGER WATCH
DraftKings Sportsbook set Derrick White’s over/under for points at 11.5 and with -125 odds on the Over. The guard sure made Over bettor happy as he netted an efficient X points. A $100 wager on the Over would have resulted in a payday of $180.

UP NEXT
The Celtics have another heavyweight matchup on deck as they welcome in Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday. Tipoff from TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

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"— Malcolm Brogdon is as steady as they come off the bench. He delivered 26 of Boston’s 28 bench points in the X."  WTF is "the X"?  If they meant "the W" then they need to move up two rows on the keyboard.  Doesn't anybody proof-read anymore?  Have editors been editorialized out of the industry?  Anyway an X is an X and I'll take them anyway I can, especially after three Ps in a row.

Jaylen was driving me crazy.  On one hand he was making SO many dumb decisions, but his 37 was also our counterpoint to LeQueen's 41.  13-23 is more efficient than 15-30 overall but 2-9 from 3 isn't 6-12.  Jaylen's 3pt fg% this season is down to 33%.  It seems he gets rusty real fast when he takes games off but maybe giving his legs a break might be what the playoff doctor is ordering.  He had 3 turnovers in the 1st quarter and ended up with 3, so he straightened that out in reasonable fashion.  He scored 11 of our team's 20 OT points.  It was domination.

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
about 7 minutes ago
Jayson Tatum on Jaylen Brown's redemption at the line tonight: "A lot of times, you only get one chance at certain things. But we play so many games and for it to be the next game, it was ironic and funny in a sense. I had no doubt in my mind that he was gonna make it."

Jaylen was 9-11 from the line.  His season average is now 78.6%, a career high.  Equally important is that his fta/minute is at a career high too.  More trips to the line and a higher completion rate when he gets there.

Tatum 8-25, 3-10 from 3.  It didn't matter where he shot from, 2 or 3, it was still 33%.  6 turnovers.

The Js took 23 ftas.  The Lakers as a team took 20.  The 19 fta difference between the two teams is probably what won it for us.  19 more ftas and 19 more ftm.

What almost lost it for us was the 22 fga difference.  The Lakers took 106 fgas, which isn't crazy in an OT game.  We took 84.  That's ok, not great but ok, in a regulation game. What I am finding stupifying is that we outscored them on fast breaks 22-16. More fast breaks mean more possessions because very little time is coming off the clock, so how come we only had 84 fgas total?

Joe went with only 9 players, and 3 of those bench players played a combined total of 27 minutes.  Luke played 16, Sam 5 and PP 6.  That meant close to Iron Man minutes for our top 6 with Derrick White playing the least with 36.

40 3pt fgas @ 32.5% (13-40), 39 fgm on 84 total fgas.  Simple math says we shot 59% (26-44) from 2.  What's wrong with 59%?  Even with the extra points from the 3 our 2pt fg% is still better than our 3pt eFG%.  Doesn't matter, Joe's in 100% on 3s.  Both feet up to his knees.  If our legs are tired come the playoffs because he's playing our key players heavy minutes and we're living and/or dying by the 3 then his feet will be in set concrete up to his knees and Boston Harbor's right there.  In my opinion we need more than just drive-and-kick-for-3.  We need more motion from the off-the-ball players.  We saw some of that tonight, we saw Jaylen with a baseline cut for a dunk and Luke with another baseline cut for 2.  We need more.




The Big Smooth, Malcolm Brogdon, came up big for us.  26 points on 8-15.  6 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 TOs.

We had 9 blocks vs 0 for LA.  9-0.  Not sure I've ever seen a stat that lopsided.  Al with 3 and Luke with 2.  121 combined minutes for LeBron, Thomas Bryant, Hachimura and AD and zero blocks.

If Jaylen was our counterpoint to LeBron's stellar offensive game then Westbrick's 4-14 was our counterpoint for Tatum's 8-25.  He's cooked, I think.  I know Laker fans hate him but I'm not sure any team who signs him next year's fans will be any happier.  I'm not sure I get it.  He still has explosive athleticism, he has just completely lost his ability to shoot anything other than layups.




https://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore/_/gameId/401468904


Bob


.

Here's what I saw

1)  Yes, it was a foul and the refs missed it.  LeQueen's overreaction should have been a technical but no ref has the nads to call it at that point.  But his reaction was not far off from any of his typical whiny baby responses after every single play that doesn't go his way.  Refs miss calls.  They may miss them at critical times.  Change the rules so teams can challenge every play, run more advertising while we wait and completely ruin the game and have the league fold up like a cheap suit because no one wants to watch.  This will make LeBron happy since he will be retiring eventually and leave his mark.  The refs can't be wrong 100% on every play all of the time as LeBron believes, acts and thinks.  The key to solving the Lakers problems of bad calls/beats/breaks by officiating?  Don't put yourself in that situation in the first place.  Win the game outright so a bad call doesn't kill you in the end.  Suck it, Lakers. LeBron? As always, quitcherbitchin. You can't have the refs bail you out at the end of the game. Players plead for that in that they don't want the refs determining outcome. But when it affects your team, you want them to call it. Can't have it both ways.        

2)  PatBev is interesting to say the least.  He's quite a character alright.  He may have simultaneously won the game for the Lakers and lost the game for the Lakers all in a few minute span.  He hit some really big shots down the stretch and then crapped the bed with his antics. With him, you have to take the good with the bad. I'd still take MS a thousand times and twice on Sunday over PatBev. SIASJ must have prepped our guys for PB's antics and didn't let him get in our heads.  The camera thing, while very funny, PatBev should have been ejected.  But again.  It's a LeBron team.  Yet they're the ones that fell apart in OT.  

3)  This was all without SM and RWIII.  Impressive.  So this game was closer than it would have been had we been at full tilt.  Gutted this one out.  Not a pretty game but the announcers said it best.  This game had a playoff feel to it and playoff games aren't pretty.  This game was not pretty.  

4)  I've said this before but Brogden very well may be the missing link come playoff time.  I'd put him in the always dependable Eddie House category officially. Brogden is a winner.  Can't say that enough.   Announcers also said we may still be short one person.  I think we have the horses in the barn.  The group we have is not consistently playing together all the time, hence the sporadic results.  Previous Boston Championship teams didn't go on multiple losing streaks.   Two losses in a row isn't a losing streak. anymore than winning two games in a row is.  The 1981 team lost 3-in-a-row once.  Nothing more.  '84 & '86 teams clean.  We're going to have to overcome that gaff somehow. When we do figure it out, look out.

5)  After all these years, Boston still has the Lakers number.  Good to know.  We got lucky on this one.  BKN coming up next.  

6)  Yeah, the fga difference jumped out at me as well when I ask myself how we win/lose a game.  It's one of those stats even after watching the game, you wouldn't know the gap was that large or why.  Same thing with the 2-point fg%.  Equal to or better than 3-pointer at times.  All intra-game analytics at this point.  

OK.  That's enough for now.  A "W" is a "W".  Don't worry LeBron.  You'll still break Kareem's record.  It's just going to be in a year on a team that doesn't make the play-in/playoffs. Lakers suck.

db

Lakers got screwed, refs missed the call. These guys suck at their job, wasn’t as bad as the Rondo non call when he got raked on the face on a lay up, giving key playoff game to Heat that was pure robbery. NBA needs a better system in place for refs incompetence, I’ve been saying that for years. They should also be fined or suspended like the players.

Jaylen had more than 3 turnovers, he was pissing me off some were so bad; but came thru late exploiting mismatches, especially in OT. Where you really see Lebrons drop off is on defense, they save all his energy for offense so they have smaller guards covering J’s. Unfortunately we’ve seen enough no show games from Tatum where he totally doesn’t or barely has it. He is still not a strong finisher in traffic, like his teammate Jaylen or Lebron even at 38. This game was alot closer than it should have been, we obviously missed Smart and RWill. Al with one of his weak rebounding games, couldn’t score most of the game; then got lucky and hit a big 3 when we needed it.

I don’t think that highly of Huichumura, he’s a tweener that also can’t defend. J’s 3% is trending pretty low compared to their own standards, will they get their legs back? Can we keep jacking up 3’s if it keeps putting us in a hole? If J’s keep trending wrong way, should we be jacking up so many 3’s?

no pity from me for LeBron, yes he got fouled, yes the ref's missed it, but how many times have we been on the receiving end of missed calls  You play the game big boy, take what goes along with it.  Jaylen got fouled earlier in the game, got whacked in the head, No call there and we were losing at the time.  His display on the floor was ridiculous, he looked like a child.  As you can tell, there is no love lost here.  Grow up LB  beat the hell out of the Nets Monday!!!

Hi,
I heard there's a new drama series about Lakers in the works in Hollywood, and Lebron is a star there. So, yesterday he was rehearsing some scenes from the movie. Some of his team mates also participated in the rehearsal.
As for the Celtics, they played defense sporadically. Got lucky on the last non-call.
Also, there're a few moments at the end of regulation and OT that I can't understand. Why did CJ took a time-out right after LAL's time-out? Why was he inserting Kornet who doesn't play good defense and sometimes looks clueless in that department. Hopefully, AH is OK.
All in all, if they don't clean their act, play good defense most of the game, I don't see them going into the Finals, let alone getting #18.

AK

The Celtics needed to win this game.

Jaylen Brown redeemed himself in a big way.  

The Lakers have struggled the past two years but they have 2 of the best players in the league so a Celtics/Lakers matchup is a primetime event even when one team is at the top and the other team is scrapping to make the 7-10 play in round.

Although 9 guys played, this games was pretty much restricted to 6 players.  As I am watching the game, I'm thinking that with Smart and Rob playing this one would not be close.

As we have witnessed all season, teams have to play through injuries and find ways to win even when key guys are missing.

As of today, I see a team that is a solid 8 man deep unit.  PP and Hauser are situational players on this team.   The one guy on the bench that needs to give us more is Luke Kornet.  He makes a good play here and there but his production speaks for itself.  Through 14 January games he is averaging 3.3 PPG and a paltry 2.2 rebounds.  We need more from him.

Last night Al Horford who had 3 assists and 3 blocks and made a key 3 pointer down the stretch was invisible on the glass once again.  A total of 2 rebounds for Al in 36 minutes is emblematic of his noticeable decline as a reliable rebounder.  It is not that he did not contribute to the win.  However, can the Celtics go into a deep playoff run with Rob, Al and Kornet and feel confident that we have enough to win?

I guess that is a question for Brad to answer.  

I would like to see the Celtics add another wing but we also could use another big.

No one wants to see guys moved but we also have to understand that beyond our top 8 (Including Grant) there are rotational question marks.  We should add a layer or 2 of insurance and utilize whatever assets that we have to make that happen.

I am not looking for a wing and a prayer.  I'm looking for a wing and a player and preferably a big. How about Brad adds both.  Leave nothing on the table.  Leave nothing to chance.  Fully and completely maximize this team's opportunity to win this year.

I would trade GWill or Luke or both for Naz Reid in a heartbeat

Also, what was the deal with Schroeder being tee'd up for fouling Tatum in the 3rd for mildly falling on the floor in protest...And LeBron doesn't get one plus an ejection for his conniption/seizure of flailing and wailing bs?!! I say, come on, man!!

db

He did not mildly fall to the floor, he fouled Tatum, complained and then flopped on the floor. He was walking right after it, tatum looked at him and if I could read lips I would swear he said “get up you fool”

For every three pointer he hits, Grant has really become a zero on the floor. He spends more time talking to referee’s than running down the floor. He has played the injury game a few times, not run back on defense and comes down after a play has developed and happened for the opposition. I have been disappointed in the way he has played in the last few weeks. So to say I would trade him? I am glad I do not have the right to make those decisions. He has read his press clippings and at times, thinks he is a superstar. Yet, there are times when he plays so well. I shake my head

Ben Rohrbach @brohrbach
yesterday
NBA says it missed 2 calls in final 2 minutes of regulation in Celtics-Lakers — an offensive foul on AD prior to Beverley’s tip dunk to make it 104-102, and Tatum’s foul on LeBron with 1.8 left in a 105-105 game. No ruling on a possible LeBron travel prior to the Tatum foul.

.Bob
MY NOTE: So 2 points come off the board for the Lakers with the AD offensive foul waving off Beverly's put back and the LeBron no-call. IF both calls are corrected the Lakers are down 2 with LeBron going to the line. He misses either and the Lakers lose in Regulation instead of in Overtime.



.

Rosalie,

I wrote "mildly" as in comparison to LeBron's 3rd grade temper tantrum.  However anyone looks at and rates Schroeder's antics,  LeBron's was not even in the same arena or universe.  But I agree, using the term "mildly" was perhaps, well, putting it mildly!  Going for some exaggeration.  Had to pick an end!  I was good with Schroeder getting tee'd up yet it paled in comparison to the LeBron crybaby show.  But for LeBron to get absolutely nothing was really pathetic.

Yes, LeBron, you're on the Lakers, you're going to break Kareem's record in a week or so and you're team's not making the playoffs this year and your team sucks.  You gotta take the good with the bad!      

db

P.S.  PLEASE someone meme LeBron or whatever the young, internet/tube-savvy whippersnappers call it these days if it hasn't been done already!  I'm sure it's viral by now!

I have never seen a player provide the antics like CryBron did at the end of regulation. Such drama and the refs decided not to call a tech on that crybaby, but called the tech on the camera man Beverley instead?!?

Apologies are in order, by both the refs and CryBron for this lack of sportsmanship.

So now we have the "Face of the NBA" setting a real fine example for today's youth. If the call doesn't go your way, that's where the drama begins. I agree with Rosalie, there's too much squawking about calls by the players and it often leads to a 5 on 4 at the other end. The league tried to address this twice in the last decade or so, but only in the pre-season. There was zero tolerance for squawking after a call. The fans loved it and the players hated it. Guess who won? Nothing actually changed once the regular season rolled around and now the situation has gotten worse over time.

Lastly,

Apologies are also in order for the ref's lack of understanding during reviews. Not a foul because the contact on Tatum was marginal? Even marginal contact throws a shot off.

LeBron is among the best to ever play in the NBA. I take that as a true statement.

LeBron knows this and acts like an entitled drama queen because of an inflated ego. I also take this as true when I hear it.

James hasn't gone down a path of anything that could be considered illegal or harmful and he's generally been a standup type family guy. That being said his ego driven tantrums on the court when it doesn't go his way are beyond tiresome. In the ultimate mixed bag he's in great shape, his game hasn't really declined yet and he wants to stick around to play on the same NBA team with his oldest son. That very much looks like it can happen given that Bronny is ranked as at least a 4-star recruit. Figure a year or two of college ball starting next season and then possibly a year of location adjustment if Bronny is drafted by the 'wrong' team. We could be looking at around 3 more years of LeBron's increasingly annoying crybaby act.

I'm rooting for just 1 year of college ball for Bronny so we can get this over with and end the LeBron ego act.

CryBron? gyso, I like that one!

— Malcolm Brogdon is as steady as they come off the bench. He delivered 26 of Boston’s 28 bench points in the X.


Same source- different dude. Doesn’t matter. NESN STRIKES AGIN!!


The entire “Laker Nation” and then some are still crying about the missed call.

Bob H summed it up nicely in a different post but I’ll add my penny:

-If they had called it there was no guarantee that he was going to make the free throws.

-The game wasn’t over. They Fakers still had additional 5 minutes to close us out. They couldn’t and they didn't.

_the little tirade that Lebron went into before going to the bench and covering his face as if to hide or throw up was a low level disgrace especially From someone who claims to be “The King”. He looked more like a Court Jester to me. Heavy is the head who wears the crown?

-If that had happened to Bird, Pierce, Kobe or Mike they would have came out in OT and took it out on the opposing team for a win or die trying.     Not so with “The King”. He instead resorted to crying and slinging snot.

-I am firmly of the belief that everything evens out in the end. If people want to magnify that one call then be consistent and start from the beginning and decipher every call. Reminder: Its a game. Its never gonna be perfect.