Celtics-Lakers highlights Christmas Day slate

Let’s hit the best way again machine for the announcement of the primary Celtics common season sport in 2023-2024:

Solely Rocky asserting he’ll struggle Drago on Christmas Day in Russia felt becoming for the schedule leak of this 12 months’s December twenty fifth slate. In keeping with The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Celtics will likely be in Los Angeles for the vacations to face the Lakers. Right here’s the remainder of the marquee matchups:

The workforce has historically been on the west coast to begin their December slate. However with the inaugural in-season tournament taking over November and ending in Las Vegas the primary week of December, that can push their street journey later within the 12 months.

Final season, their two rivalry video games towards LA produced two of essentially the most dramatic wins. On December thirteenth, Boston constructed a 20-point lead at Crypto.com Enviornment earlier than the Lakers took the lead within the 4th quarter. After two missed Anthony Davis free throws, Jayson Tatum tied it in the clutch and the Celtics ran away with it in time beyond regulation. Six weeks later, it was the Lakers that dominated most of regulation till LeBron James missed a game-winning bunny. Jaylen Brown scored eleven of his game-high 37 factors in OT to comb the season sequence.

Heading into subsequent 12 months, the 2 convention finalists are thought of contenders for his or her 18th championship. Our friends at DraftKings presently have the Celtics second behind the Nuggets at +500 to lift the Larry O’Brien with the Lakers trailing Phoenix, Milwaukee, and Miami at +1200.