The Celtics’ two dates with the Lakers are set, and the first one comes early in the calendar.
Boston will head to Crypto.com Arena on Thursday, Jan. 7, to open the season series against Los Angeles. Tip-off is set for 10:00 PM ET, and the game will stream on Amazon Prime.
The rematch lands in Boston on Tuesday, Feb. 2, when Luka Doncic and the Lakers visit TD Garden. That one is scheduled for 8:00 PM ET, with national coverage on NBC and Peacock. Fans in Boston can also watch it on NBC Sports Boston.
Boston has had the upper hand lately in this rivalry, riding a three-game win streak against the Lakers. The Celtics swept both meetings last season and now own a 169-135 edge in the 304 regular-season games between the teams. In the playoffs, Boston is 43-31 against Los Angeles.
Both franchises are heading into a new era as the Jays’ run in Boston winds down and LeBron James leaves Los Angeles behind.
James has since joined Jaylen Brown in the City of Brotherly Love. The two ended up with the Philadelphia 76ers, even though it looked more likely they could become teammates once the offseason got going.
Back in Los Angeles, the Lakers have fully centered themselves around Doncic. Rob Pelinka, the team’s president of basketball operations, went out and traded for Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler, paying a steep price that included two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps.
The Lakers also added Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton in free agency. Austin Reaves stayed put on a four-year, $185 million maximum contract, the richest deal ever for an undrafted free agent.
Even with extended absences last season for Doncic, James and Reaves, Los Angeles still finished inside the top 10 in offensive rating. With better health, that side of the floor could be even stronger this year.
Defense, though, is where the Lakers will be tested. Kessler is expected to carry a heavy load at the rim, and if he can do that, it gives LA’s perimeter defenders more freedom to pressure the ball and gamble for turnovers. That kind of setup could help cover for one of the roster’s biggest weaknesses.
Still, the Lakers don’t look especially balanced. They are not in the same class as the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder, and after going 53-29 and finishing fourth in the West a year ago, they’re likely headed for something close to that again in 2026-27.
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Celtics Fans Should Feel Better About This Bradley Beal Outcome
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From Bostons perspective, that is probably the right outcome. The Celtics have spent enough time building around Tatum and a specific team structure to know that adding a high-usage scorer with Beals profile would have raised more questions than it answered, and the pairing looked potentially awkward from the start. His move to Los Angeles closes the loop on a possibility that generated buzz, but ultimately never made as much sense for Boston as it did for outside observers chasing the big name. [Read more 🡒]
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Jaylen Browns First Celtics Trade Reaction Says Plenty
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Brown stressed the need to build chemistry and put in the work with his new club as the 76ers get ready for the season ahead. For Boston fans, the reaction is another reminder that the end of a championship run can still lead straight into uncertainty, even for the player who was at the center of it. For Brown, the next chapter appears to be about keeping the disappointment in perspective and seeing where the fit goes from here. [Read more 🡒]