Celtics Ride Tatum, Brown to 1st Win Over LeBron, Luka-Led Lakers

 Last month’s Luka Doncic trade didn’t just rejuvenate the Lakers; it has rejuvenated the greatest rivalry in basketball. And on Saturday night, we were treated to our first taste.

The superstars aligned at TD Garden with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum on one side, and LeBron James and Doncic on the other, restoring balance, luster, and competitiveness to the Celtics-Lakers feud.

All four did their part in rekindling the storied matchup, as the Jays combined for 71 points, 18 rebounds, 10 assists, and three steals, while LeBron and The Don combined for 56 points, 22 rebounds, and 12 assists. Ultimately, the duo with the better stats came away with the better result, as Brown and Tatum guided Boston to a 111-101 win, putting an end to Los Angeles’ eight-game win streak.

“The NBA is a better place when the Lakers and Celtics are two of the best teams,” Tatum said following his 40-point, 12-rebound, eight-assist, two-steal effort. “Primetime game Saturday night, it was fun. As a fan, as a competitor, these are the games you want to be a part of.”

Tatum and Brown were in sync from the get-go, dropping 10 points apiece during the first quarter before finishing the half with 22 and 16, respectively. Tatum carried the offense for a good portion of the night, while Brown set the tone on defense, picking up the Doncic assignment.

Joe Mazzulla was left in awe of them both.

“The mental and emotional and physical toughness that it takes to do what Jaylen is able to do like he did tonight is just high-level by him,” said Boston’s head coach. “And Jayson’s ability to take pride in his individual defense – when your best players take pride in individual defense, I think it sets a tone for your team. Those guys take on that challenge, and JB thrives taking on that challenge.”

Doncic managed to score 34 points, but his facilitation was down and his mistakes were up, as he contributed just three assists while turning the ball over a game-high five times. The Jays, meanwhile, combined for five turnovers, but they made up for each one and more by combining for five steals and two blocks on the other end.

Mazzulla depended on the Jays to dig deep, playing Tatum a season-high 45 minutes and Brown 42. And they were able to do just that by feeding off the crowd to keep their energy flowing.

“It was a great atmosphere tonight,” Brown said following his 31-point, six-rebound, three-steal effort. “Shoutout to the Celtics fans. It felt like a playoff-type intensity. Obviously the history between the Celtics and Lakers is prevalent, so tonight I feel like both sides, both teams came in and brought it from the jump. They started out of the gate hitting shots. We matched them, hit some shots. They closed it back late. We were able to create some more separation, but it was a great energy game.

“Today was not one of those regular-season normal games where it’s whatever. Today was a good day for basketball.”

It was a good day, Tatum agreed, because once again, “The rivalry is alive.”