NBA LOS ANGELES LAKERS vs BOSTON CELTICS - Dec 8 11AM

[Mary C]

POTENTIAL STARTING LINEUPS: 

LOS ANGELES LAKERS: 

PG | Russell Westbrook 

SG | Avery Bradley 

SF | Kent Bazemore 

PF | LeBron James 

C | Anthony Davis 

 

BOSTON CELTICS: 

PG | Marcus Smart 

SG | Jaylen Brown 

SF | Jayson Tatum 

PF | Al Horford 

C | Robert Williams III 

 

It is no secret that the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are one of the greatest rivalries in basketball. For over 75 years, these two teams have created memories that will forever go down in the history of the NBA. This includes the Blowout Win of the Celtics on January 20, 2020, where Jaylen Brown successfully dunked on the King, LeBron James, and this has been considered as the biggest blowout in the rivalry ever since the 2008 Boston Championship-clinching game. Following the recent loss of the Lakers last November 20, 2021, against the Celtics, will they be able to claim the win for this match? Or will the Celtics have the upper hand again in this match? Let us look at the statistics to find out.  

 

According to ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers stand 12-12, 8th in Western Conference. In terms of offense, they come 5th in scoring and 23rd in rating. As for defense, they rank 28th in scoring and 16th in rating. Last December 3, 2021, the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Los Angeles Clippers to a 119-115 victory over the Lakers. Even though LeBron James had just come back after his false positive COVID-19 test, he admitted being frustrated as to how he was not able to establish a good flow for himself. As for the other team members, Anthony Davis was able to score 27 points and 10 rebounds. Malik Monk also scored all his 20 points in the second half of the game. Russell Westbrook is also averaging 22.0 points based on the team’s last 10 games. 

 

As for the Boston Celtics, they stand 13-11, 8th in the Eastern Conference. The team averages 111.2 points, 47.1 rebounds, 22.9 assists, 6.3 steals, and 4.8 blocks per game. As for the key players, Jayson Tatum, ranking 9th in the league scoring 25.2 points per game, 8.8 rebounds, and 3.7 assists leads the Boston Celtics into the match against the Los Angeles Lakers. Dennis Schroder is also averaging 19.0 points based on the past 10 games of Celtics. 

 

The game is looking tight with both teams having the same standing based on their recent five games, with three wins and two losses. ESPN's Basketball Power Index indicates as of December 6, 2021, that the Los Angeles Lakers have a higher chance, specifically 58.7% chance, of winning the upcoming match, while the Boston Celtics have a 41.3% chance of winning against the Lakers. We agree with this prediction, not solely based on the capabilities of the players, but also based on the injured members of both teams and the game schedule, especially on the end of the Boston Celtics. They have been going against tough teams for the past month, and this pattern will only continue for December 2021. This may make it hard for the Celtics to keep up their game for the following matches. Catch the Boston Celtics travel to face off against the Los Angeles Lakers on December 8, 2021, 11:00 AM PST, at the STAPLES Center, Los Angeles, California.