Lakers demolish exhausted Celtics with scorching capturing: Takeaways

James, someway, remains to be doing it. He managed the sport, operating the Lakers’ offense each as a scorer and as passer, and his 14 rebounds had the twin impact of ending the Celtics’ possessions and jump-starting the Lakers’ possession at a brisk tempo since he tends to convey the ball up himself. James additionally completed with 20 factors and 6 assists.

The rivalry between James and the Celtics appears to have cooled a bit as James’ profession winds down (or at the least, as we assume it’s winding down), which is a little bit ironic provided that he joined the Celtics’ historic rival.

However an vital part of the animosity between James and the Celtics was their proximity – when the Celtics confronted James thrice a 12 months within the common season and as soon as within the Jap Convention finals or semifinals, the rivalry constructed like a stress cooker. Now they see one another twice a 12 months in regular-season video games that merely don’t matter as a lot to both the Celtics or James, particularly given the comparatively small probabilities of a postseason showdown.

Nonetheless, James did appear to have a little bit throwback vitality for his previous rival on Thursday.

The Celtics seemed exhausted.

Blame the schedule-makers for giving the Celtics a grueling stretch of video games, which made their “Rivalry Week” highway showdown in opposition to the Lakers their fifth sport in seven nights (the schedule doesn’t let up from right here, by the way – the Celtics don’t have two nights off in a row once more till the All-Star break).

Blame the Celtics themselves for permitting Wednesday’s sport to get away from them and go to time beyond regulation unnecessarily, given the standard of the Clippers roster that trotted out to satisfy them on the Intuit Dome.

Blame the bench for failing to point out up in a means that will take some weight off the shoulders of the Celtics’ stars.

Whoever you resolve guilty for Thursday’s failings, the Celtics merely didn’t appear to be that they had the legs to compete with the Lakers, particularly on an evening when the Lakers shot so effectively. The Celtics performed isolation basketball an excessive amount of – typically a dependable indicator of their exhaustion – and their protection noticed the Lakers a giant lead early and was by no means robust sufficient to interrupt their rhythm.

The capturing stats have been brutal.

This deserves its personal breakout level separate from the exhaustion, regardless that it appears very probably that the 2 factors are associated.

The Celtics completed 38.5 % from the ground. Kristaps Pozingis was scorching early however cooled off late, and he was the one starter to shoot 50 % or higher.

Jaylen Brown was 7-for-19.

Derrick White and Al Horford have been each 1-for-5.

Jrue Vacation was 1-for-6.

Payton Pritchard was 2-for-12.

Once more, blame it on no matter you need – the Lakers’ protection, the fifth sport in seven nights, the pointless time beyond regulation – however no matter motive you select, the Celtics merely have been by no means going to win a sport wherein no person outdoors of Tatum, Brown or Porzingis scored in double figures, particularly when Tatum, Brown and Porzingis have been all unremarkable themselves.

Jaden Springer got here in too late.

We’re solely half-joking right here: After turning the Celtics’ sport in opposition to the Clippers utterly on its head by shutting down Kevin Porter Jr. and pulling down a pair of clutch 3-pointers, Springer appeared to have a little bit additional spring in his step when he entered Thursday’s sport in rubbish time. He completed with 10 factors on 4-for-5 capturing and made each of his 3-point makes an attempt, leaving us with no selection however to marvel what might have been if Mazzulla had merely performed his game-changing celebrity earlier within the sport.

Gabe Vincent loves taking part in the Celtics.

For Gabe Vincent (and apparently Caleb Martin, given what occurred earlier this 12 months), taking part in the Celtics will at all times be a throwback to the 2023 Jap Convention finals when he merely couldn’t miss.

Vincent has made 4 3-pointers in a single different sport this 12 months – a Dec. 18 contest between the Lakers and the Kings.

On Thursday, Vincent shot 4-for-7 from deep and completed with 12 factors. As a staff, the Lakers completed 15-for-35 (42.9 %) from deep, getting 3-for-4 and 4-for-8 performances from Dalton Knecht and Austin Reaves respectively.

The tip (of the highway journey) is in sight.

The Celtics now have lower than 48 hours to get to Dallas and put together for his or her Finals rematch in opposition to the Mavericks. A win would salvage a 3-1 highway journey, which – given the circumstances – would really feel pretty consequential.

When the Celtics return to TD Backyard, they’ll face the Rockets and Bulls on Monday and Wednesday respectively.

We could have extra takeaways quickly.