On Saturday, March 8, the Boston Celtics will go toe-to-toe with a resurgent Los Angeles Lakers team. This will be the first meeting between the two rivals since Luka Doncic began suiting up for the Purple and Gold.
While Doncic is undoubtedly a threat, it will be LeBron James who likely garners most of the Celtics defensive attention. The 40-year-old superstar has been playing exceptionally well all season, proving he’s still a top-10 player in the world.
During his postgame news conference following the Celtics’ 123-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers, Jayson Tatum shared his thoughts on the season James has been having and the threat he poses.
“As much as we probably talk about LeBron, we probably don’t talk about him enough, right?,” Tatum said. “Being 40 in his 22nd season playing at an All-NBA level is incredible. It’s a testament to the work that he’s put in to his game, to his body, to stay at the best shape and be able to stay and compete and perform at the highest level for over two decades now…It’s a joy to be able to compete against him in these matchups for however long we get to do it for.”
James has played in 56 games this season. He’s averaging 24.9 points, 8 rebounds and 8.5 assists while shooting 51.9% from the field and 39.4% from three-point range. His developing partnership with Doncic is also going to be a threat. As such, the Celtics will need to be at their best if they want to send a message to JJ Redick’s team.
Celtics’ Jayson Tatum Doesn’t See Lakers as Rivals
During the same postgame news conference, Tatum admitted that he doesn’t view the Lakers as genuine rivals. The Celtics All-NBA forward admitted that history has ensured the two teams are always pitted against each other, but believes rivals are teams you have to consistently overcome.
“I mean, I obviously understand the history between the Lakers and the Celtics,” Tatum said. “I would say from my time in the league, I wouldn’t look at the Lakers as rivals — we only play them twice. The teams that we play over and over again in the playoffs, Philly would be one of them, and the other teams as well. You respect and understand the history…It’s an honor to be a part of it, for sure.”
It’s been 15 years since the last time the Celtics and Lakers faced off in the NBA Finals. As such, Tatum’s comments are fair. Unless the two franchises are consistently duking it out for the top spot in the league, it’s hard to view them as genuine rivals, especially in the modern era.
Celtics Must Be At Full Strength To Beat Lakers
If the Celtics want to dismantle the Lakers on March 8, they will need to be at full strength. Sam Hauser, Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have all been in and out of the rotation this season.
Joe Mazzulla will need to welcome the trio back into the rotation if the Celtics are going to stand a chance of breaking down an impressive Lakers defense. Hauser’s floor spacing off the bench will be vital. As will Porzingis’ rim protection and Holiday point-of-attack defense.
Of course, ensuring Boston’s roster is healthy for the postseason must take precedent. Nevertheless, beating the Lakers is important to the Celtics fanbase, and Mazzulla must weigh that into consideration when selecting his primary rotation for Saturday.
