Three key things to watch for against LeBron, Luka, and the Lakers.
Both the Celtics and Lakers currently hold the second seed in their respective conferences.
One of the greatest rivalries in sports kicks off Saturday night in Boston. With countless showdowns between the Celtics and Lakers, the excitement surrounding the game is always immense.
The revamped Lakers are visiting Boston for the first and only time this season, after their last matchup in January when the Celtics fell 117-96 at Crypto. Boston has improved to 45-18, securing second place in the East, while the Lakers sit at 40-21, also in second place in the Western Conference.
A significant change for the Lakers is Luka Dončić now starting alongside LeBron James.
This new pairing will face off against the reigning champion duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, which leads me to my first point of focus.
While Brown defended Luka in the Finals, it caused Luka to exert more energy, and at times he appeared visibly tired, missing shots he typically makes.
Will Joe Mazzulla opt to have Brown defend Dončić from the start, or will the Celtics mix up their strategy to keep the Lakers and Dončić on their toes?
Offensively, Brown has only had one 30+ point game in 2025. Scoring a lot on a team stacked with scorers is challenging, but we may be in for a big offensive performance from Brown.
How will Kristaps Porziņģis perform in his return?
It’s not officially confirmed that Porziņģis will play against the Lakers, but based on his Instagram, it seems he’s revealing the news himself.
If we trust social media, then Boston is set for a significant boost against Los Angeles. The Latvian missed the last four games due to a non-COVID illness, and it’s unclear whether he’ll be at full strength or play limited minutes due to stamina concerns after his illness.
However, Porziņģis’ presence will be valuable, as the Lakers have struggled in the center position after trading Anthony Davis to the Mavericks and Mark Williams failing his physical, even with the addition of Alex Len.
In the first matchup, Porziņģis led Boston with 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting. Even if he’s only 70% of his usual self, his impact could still be significant.
It’ll be interesting to see whether Mazzulla starts Porziņģis or brings him off the bench. Given the games he’s missed in his brief Celtics tenure, it might be wise to keep the starting lineup intact. Regardless of whether he starts or not, Porziņģis will be key for Boston on both ends.
Jayson Tatum has been in outstanding form recently. Everyone knows that Tatum’s idol growing up was Kobe Bryant, and this game is likely to carry extra meaning for every player in a Celtics jersey, especially Tatum. Typically, Tatum performs well against the Lakers, though he had one of his rougher shooting nights in January.
Tatum scored 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting with a +/- of -13.
Facing off against LeBron at home, Tatum will likely aim to make up for his previous performance, particularly in front of the Boston crowd. There have been few occasions when Tatum hasn’t delivered in major prime-time games in Boston.
Fresh off 35 points in 31 minutes against Philadelphia, Tatum will be well-rested and ready to perform. It’ll be intriguing to see who defends Tatum.
It’s unlikely to be LeBron, but if it is, it’ll be a thrilling matchup of old school vs. new school, with two of the league’s best going head-to-head. LeBron will just need to be cautious not to jump with Tatum the next time he drives.