The Boston Celtics can proceed its current torrid taking pictures towards some acquainted rims when it visits the Los Angeles Lakers for a Christmas Day matchup between longtime rivals Monday.
After beating the Sacramento Kings 144-119 on the street Wednesday, the Celtics earned a 145-108 victory in Los Angeles towards the Clippers on Saturday. Boston made 47 3-pointers through the two victories, a franchise report for made 3-pointers in a two-game stretch.
The Celtics wasn’t even at full power for the pair of video games. Jayson Tatum didn’t play towards Sacramento due to a sprained ankle, and Boston didn’t have Kristaps Porzingis (ankle) towards the Clippers.
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Tatum returned to the lineup Saturday and scored a game-high 30 factors towards the Clippers, whereas hitting half of his 10 makes an attempt from 3-point vary. Monday’s sport might be performed in the identical downtown Los Angeles area.
“We simply play to our strengths,” Tatum mentioned. “9 instances out of 10, all people on the ground can house the ground and shoot. Irrespective of if we’re taking pictures 50 % or 20 %, we at all times wish to create the benefit and discover the open man.
“I believe that’s what makes us so dynamic. All people can house the ground, so it’s arduous to protect us one-on-one. And should you assist, we at all times received shooters round. It’s all about taking the correct pictures.”
Saturday’s victory over the Clippers marked the primary time the Celtics has scored at the least 140 factors in back-to-back video games since 1966. It was Boston’s seventh win in its final eight video games, and the Celtics scored a mixed 289 complete factors in consecutive contests.
“I do like the truth that we’re creating a fast-paced identification and never turning it over,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned when requested concerning the high-scoring pair of video games. “I believe at instances prior to now, we’ve performed quick however turned it over. So we’re discovering a very good steadiness of tempo and execution, which I believe is vital. However it’s not due to the factors. I simply appreciated our execution.”
The Lakers ended a four-game dropping streak with a 129-120 street victory over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Saturday. LeBron James was moved to level guard and scored a season-high 40 factors, together with 15 within the fourth quarter and 11 within the closing 4:29.
James was 13 of 20 from the sphere and made all of his 5 3-point makes an attempt. He additionally had seven rebounds, seven assists and two blocks.
“To know I can exit and nonetheless make game-winning performs and have an effect on the sport in a number of methods, and I can nonetheless shut out a sport within the fourth quarter when my crew wanted it, once they began making a run, it’s at all times a very good feeling, for certain,” James mentioned.
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Anthony Davis added 26 factors, 11 rebounds and 7 assists for the Lakers, who additionally obtained a 21-point efficiency off the bench from Rui Hachimura.
James modified positions after level guard D’Angelo Russell was moved right into a reserve position. Jarred Vanderbilt was inserted into the Lakers’ beginning lineup.
“The consequence was a win,” Russell mentioned. “For me, that’s all that issues.”
The Lakers entered Saturday’s sport with one victory in six video games since profitable the NBA’s in-season event.
“We’ve been sort of struggling,” Hachimura mentioned. “The schedule, the journey, all of that, however we talked about it after the sport, the final sport in Minnesota, and mentioned the subsequent sport must be a should win. (Anthony Davis) mentioned it.
“We’ve received to maintain doing it. We simply received to get right into a rhythm and the subsequent one’s large too, the Christmas sport towards the Celtics. We’ve simply received to go on the market once more like we simply did and attempt to get into rhythm.”