Jaylen Brown, Celtics blow out Lakers while LeBron James, Luka Doncic sit

Zack Cox, Boston Herald on Dec 5, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

BOSTON — Fans hoping to see LeBron James and Luka Doncic play in Boston for the only time this season left TD Garden disappointed Friday night.

But the crowd’s loss was the Celtics’ gain.

Boston had no trouble dispatching the short-handed Lakers, who were playing without James (sciatica/foot), Doncic (personal reasons) and ex-Celtic Marcus Smart (back). The Celtics won 126-105 to claim their fourth straight victory and ninth in their last 11 games.

Jaylen Brown, back after sitting out Thursday’s blowout win over the Wizards with an illness, paced the Celtics with 30 points on 10-of-22 shooting, eight rebounds and eight assists. Derrick White scored 19 points on 7-of-14 shooting, including 5-of-10 shooting from 3-point range, and Jordan Walsh again impressed with 17 points (6 for 7; 4 for 5 from 3), four rebounds, two blocks, one steal and a plus-28 in 26 minutes.

All five Boston starters scored in double figures, as did Sam Hauser, who went 4 for 7 from deep off the bench.

The Lakers got 36 points from likely first-time All-Star Austin Reaves, with 15 of those coming on free throws, but not nearly enough from his depleted supporting cast. The Celtics never trailed in the win, which improved their record to 14-9. LA fell to 16-6.

The first quarter was a Boston beatdown. The Celtics shot 7 for 11 from 3-point range, assisted on 13 of their 14 made basket and committed just two turnovers. White and Brown each scored nine points in the opening period, with the former continuing his resurgence as a shooter and the latter drawing three early fouls.

Walsh opened the scoring with a 3-pointer and later converted an and-one layup. Finishing at and around the rim is one of the many improvements the 21-year-old has shown this season. He’s made more baskets inside the restricted area since his promotion to the starting lineup on Nov. 12 (25) than in the entire rest of his career (22). A missed three late in the first snapped a streak of 15 consecutive made field goals for Walsh.

At the other end, the Celtics held the Lakers to 17 first-quarter points on 23.1% shooting, including an 0-for-5 start from Reaves. Boston took a 22-point lead into the second quarter, then stretched it to 29.

The Celtics’ bench players all shot the ball well in the first half — Hauser, Anfernee Simons, Josh Minott and Baylor Scheierman attempted exclusively 3-pointers and went 7 for 11 — and even after some misguided fouls late in the second quarter, Boston entered halftime up 69-46.

Brown caught fire early in the third quarter, draining his first three 3-pointers of the game on three consecutive Celtics possessions. The rest of the quarter was choppier for Boston. White committed turnovers on back-to-back trips, the C’s young wings had trouble keeping Reaves off the foul line and LA closed the frame with an 8-0 run that included two Brown giveaways.

But the Lakers lacked the firepower to muster a true comeback bid. Up 97-82 at the start of the fourth, the Celtics got consecutive threes from Walsh, White and Hauser to reestablish control. They cruised from there to maintain the Eastern Conference’s longest active win streak.

Boston will visit the Toronto Raptors on Sunday.

Other observations:

— James, a Celtics nemesis since some of Boston’s current players were toddlers, received a smattering of boos when he walked from the tunnel to the Lakers bench early in the first quarter.

The Garden crowd began chanting for James’ son and teammate (“We want Bronny”) with the Celtics up big late in the third quarter. They got their wish when Lakers head coach JJ Redick sent in his deep reserves with 6:38 remaining, and each of the younger James’ two baskets drew loud cheers.

— White retreated toward the locker room after taking a spill beneath the basket midway through the first quarter, but he quickly returned to the bench.

— Neemias Queta gave an assist to the arena staff, using a mop and his 7-foot frame to free a ball that was lodged at the top of the backboard. It was another light night for the Celtics center’s backups, as Boston continued to utilize smaller lineups when Queta was off the floor. Luka Garza, Xavier Tillman and Amari Williams didn’t check in until garbage time.