Strong shooting performance leads Celtics past shorthanded Lakers
The Celtics impressive shooting splits helped them blowout a Lakers team that were missing their best players.
Dec 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) goes to the basket against Los Angeles Lakers forward Jake Laravia (12) during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Winslow Townson-Imagn ImagesBOSTON — Anyone who previewed the Celtics’ schedule during the preseason likely circled Friday’s game on their calendar. Very few would elect to miss the occasion between two of the NBA’s most storied franchises.
It was an opportunity to see a Lakers squad that features Luka Doncic and LeBron James, whose final trip to an arena he fought many postseason battles in appears to be vastly approaching.
Instead, fans who piled into the TD Garden may have experienced buyer’s remorse before tip-off. Doncic did not play due to traveling home to Slovenia for the birth of his second child, and James was out with a back and foot injury. Not even hometown hero Marcus Smart, who signed with Los Angeles this past offseason, was available to play.
So Boston made sure its fans’ price of admission didn’t go to waste.
The Celtics put on an impressive offensive showing to easily defeat the shorthanded Lakers, 126-105, to improve to 14-9 overall. Los Angeles fell to 16-6.
Boston jumped out to an 11-3 lead early in the first quarter, eventually growing its advantage to as many as 29 points. It accomplished its large lead with by knocking down its 3-pointers at a 52% clip (13-of-25) in the first half while making 54.3% of its field goals in the opening two quarters.
Those numbers never regressed to the mean.
The Celtics finished the game by hitting 46 of their 85 field goal attempts (54.1%), plus a 24 of 45 clip from 3-point range. Jaylen Brown scored a game-high 30 points on 10-of-22 shooting, primary scoring by attacking the basket and drawing fouls. He flirted with a triple-double, but his eight rebounds and eight assists were just short of the mark.
Although the Lakers’ horrific start kept them from gaining a lead in the contest, they gave themselves a chance entering the fourth quarter. They cut their 23-point halftime deficit to 15 points, but a quick 6-0 run to open the fourth quarter by the Celtics put them back into control of the contest. Austin Reaves led the comeback effort with a game-high 36 points and eight assists.
Derrick White finished with 19 points on 5-of-10 3-point shooting while dishing out six assists and grabbing five rebounds. Jordan Walsh continued his recent excellent offensive stretch with 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting.
