In a commanding display, the Boston Celtics completed their season sweep of the Los Angeles Lakers with a decisive 111-89 victory at Crypto.com Arena. The game, attended by Lakers legend James Worthy, left fans and former players alike questioning the heart and effort of the home team.
Worthy, speaking on Spectrum SportsNet, didn’t hold back in his critique. “This wasn’t about stats and rebounds,” he emphasized.
“It was about heart. And today, the Lakers showed none.
It’s post-All-Star break, and they needed to come out strong. But against the Celtics, without Jayson Tatum, they fell flat.”
The game was a significant occasion, with Lakers icons like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson present to honor their former coach, Pat Riley, with a statue unveiling. Unfortunately, the Lakers couldn’t rise to the moment, trailing 60-50 at halftime and failing to mount a comeback in the fourth quarter.
The Celtics, despite missing Tatum, capitalized on the Lakers’ lackluster performance. Jaylen Brown led the charge with 32 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while Payton Pritchard added 30 points and eight assists. Their efforts overshadowed the Lakers' stars, as Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves struggled, combining for 60 points on 41.5% shooting.
Head coach JJ Redick expressed his dissatisfaction with the Lakers’ offensive execution and acknowledged the officiating issues, but he made it clear that the loss was on the team’s performance, not the refs.
With this defeat, the Lakers dropped to a 34-22 record, now standing 1-1 after the All-Star break. They’ll need to regroup quickly as they prepare to face the Orlando Magic next at home. The question remains: can they find the spark needed to turn their season around?