The Boston Celtics (13-12, 13-11-1 ATS) got stomped last night by the Los Angeles Lakers 117-102. They play at Staples Center once again tonight on night two of a back-to-back, as they take on the LA Clippers (13-12, 11-14 ATS). A bounce-back performance is needed because if they play the same way they did last night, it will be a rough game.
According to the online sports book Betonline.ag, the LA Clippers are 4 point favorites:
- Point Spread: LA Clippers -4
- Over-Under: 210.5 points
- Money line: Boston Celtics +155, LA Clippers -175
Injury Report
There have been no updates on the Celtics injury report for tonight’s game. Last night, Jaylen Brown (hamstring), Bruno Fernando (back spasms), and Jabari Parker (non-COVID-related illness) were all out.
For the Clippers, four players (outside of Kawhi Leonard) are listed on the injury report. Nicolas Batum is questionable, while Keon Johnson, Jason Preston, and Jay Scrubb are all out for tonight’s contest.
Predicted Starting Lineups
Boston Celtics
G: Dennis Schroder
G: Marcus Smart
F: Jayson Tatum
F: Al Horford
C: Robert Williams
Los Angeles Lakers
G: Reggie Jackson
G: Luke Kennard
F: Paul George
F: Marcus Morris
C: Ivica Zubac
Boston Celtics Overview
The C’s got dominated by the Lakers last night. Boston just couldn’t find a rhythm on either end, but their defense was what struggled the most. They’ve been a great defensive team all season, while their offense has been shaky, but last night they flipped the script. The Celtics allowed 66 points in the paint – over 20 more than they give up on average this season. Ime Udoka said after the game that their plan was to let the Lakers shoot and keep them out of the paint, but based on the game, he admitted it clearly did not work.
Offensively, things didn’t go too well, either. Jayson Tatum scored 14 points in the first quarter, but outside of that, the Celtics had no flow on offense. While Tatum had 14 in the first, no one else on the C’s had 13 in the game. Dennis Schroder shot 1-6 from the field, and he’s usually the guy that Boston turns to for production when Jaylen Brown is out.
Udoka talked postgame about the starting lineup having “no spark.” He pulled his starters with just under 5:30 left to play in the game. Los Angeles was giving the C’s a window to make a comeback, but they just refused to pounce on the opportunity. They have allowed 115 points in each of their last three games. That has only happened four other times the rest of this season combined. It’s been a tough stretch for the C’s.
LA Clippers Overview
After a solid start to the season, the Clippers slowed down significantly. They are 4-6 in their last 10 games and 2-4 in their last six, including losses to the Sacramento Kings and New Orleans Pelicans. With Kawhi Leonard out for the year, the offensive burden was placed on Paul George, and the team has felt that effect in a major way. They rank 26th in the NBA in offensive rating and only average 105.7 points per game (20th in NBA).
Outside of George, Reggie Jackson has been the main offensive weapon for the Clippers. He’s putting up over 17 points per game, but he’s not shooting very efficiently. That’s been the story of the season for LA. They are still a solid team from behind the three-point arc but rank 20th in the NBA in field goal percentage (44.6 percent).
Despite their offensive deficiencies, the Clippers have been a force to be reckoned with on defense. They have a top-three defense in the league, and that has become their identity this season. George is averaging nearly two steals per game, and they have organized a team of multiple multi-positional defenders. Alongside George, LA has guys such as Nicolas Batum and Eric Bledsoe, who are both great on the defensive end. They play solid team defense and allow it to make up for their lackluster offense.
Prediction
Defensively, the Celtics need to attack the clippers in the opposite way that they were trying to attack the Lakers last night. LA is a great three-point shooting team, but they struggle everywhere else. Funneling players to the paint and chasing them off the three-point line should be the game plan tonight. If the C’s can force the Clippers to take contested shots in the paint and mid-range area, they will be in good shape.
The Celtics also face a tall task on offense, as the Clippers are one of the best defensive teams in the NBA. Outside of last night’s sluggish performance, Boston’s offense has looked better lately. That being said, they need to continue to pass the ball. They were consistently a step slow last night, and the whole offense looked to be lagging for the entire game. If it wasn’t for Tatum’s miraculous 14-point first quarter, the Celtics would have gotten blown out by even more. Ball movement needs to be emphasized tonight because if it isn’t, the Clippers are going to pick them apart.
Lastly, the C’s need to focus on George. The Clippers don’t have many offensive weapons outside of him, so they need to pay close attention to him all night. He’s one of those players that can put up 30 like it’s nothing, and he’s already had multiple 40-point games this season, too. His defense is elite, but it’s matched by a great offensive arsenal as well. George has been struggling to shoot efficiently as of late, but that doesn’t mean he can’t get back to his old self at any time.
This would be the perfect bounce-back win for the Celtics. The Clippers have the exact same record as them, so in theory, this should be a close game. However, it all depends on whether or not Boston’s offense comes to play. If they stall out on offense, they’ll be in for a tough night.
LA Clippers 98, Boston Celtics 95
TIP-OFF: 10:30 p.m. @ STAPLES Center
RADIO: 98.5 The Sports Hub
TV: NBC Sports Boston
