Game 25: Lakers at Celtics

By Gary Dzen

February 9, 2012

1 minute to read

By Gary Dzen, Globe Staff

The Lakers are always a measuring stick.

While neither team is favored to win the NBA title this season, this is a big game for both the Celtics and their rivals from Los Angeles. The Celtics have won 9 of 10 games but haven’t faced a team as good as the Lakers during that run. Los Angeles is 14-11 overall but is just 3-9 on the road this season. Tonight’s game is a chance to rekindle some of the glitz and glamour of the teams that faced off in the 2008 and 2010 Finals. It’s a chance for both teams to begin to build the confidence of turning it around.

Tip-off: 8 p.m.
Records: Celtics (14-10), Lakers (14-11)
Broadcast info: TNT, WEEI 93.7 FM/850 AM (Sean Grande and Cedric Maxwell)

Probable starters:

Celtics:
PG: Rajon Rondo
SG: Ray Allen
SF: Paul Pierce
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Jermaine O’Neal

Lakers:
PG: Derek Fisher
SG: Kobe Bryant
SF: Metta World Peace
PF: Pau Gasol
C: Andrew Bynum

Storylines:

Kobe and Paul: Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce are superstars who’ve both achieved incredible milestones in their careers. Bryant just passed Shaquille O’Neal in scoring, while Pierce passed Larry Bird. The milestones are out of the way, unlike during last year’s Celtics-Lakers game in Boston when Ray Allen set the NBA’s all-time record for 3-pointers. Just a basketball game tonight. Hopefully it’s a good one.

Big men: The Celtics rarely have nights when they need to worry about going big, but this is one of them. Jermaine O’Neal will have no choice but to play big and stay out of foul trouble against Andrew Bynum. The Celtics will have a harder time going small against the Lakers as they’ve done against other teams by playing Brandon Bass and Chris Wilcox alongside Kevin Garnett.

Defense: The Celtics have allowed 86.5 points per game, but they also have one of the league’s lowest-scoring offenses at 90.8 points. The Lakers have allowed 97.2 points per game on the road. Maybe we’ll get a real grinder tonight.