The Los Angeles Lakers will enter TD Garden on Friday night without star guard Luka Doncic, who is out for personal reasons. LeBron James is listed as doubtful with right sciatica and left foot arthritis, while Marcus Smart is also sidelined with a left lumbar muscle strain.
Boston will be missing Jayson Tatum due to a right Achilles repair, and two-way players Ron Harper Jr. and Max Shulga remain out in the G League. The Celtics are riding a three-game winning streak, including a dominant 146-101 victory over the Wizards on December 4.
The Lakers are coming off a narrow 123-120 win at Toronto, snapping a one-game skid after their 108-125 loss to Phoenix.
Los Angeles sits at 16-5, holding the second-best record in the Western Conference, while Boston is 13-9.
Without Doncic, the Lakers will rely on Austin Reaves, who is averaging 28.9 points, 6.8 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. LeBron’s potential absence makes Deandre Ayton’s 15.8 points and 8.6 rebounds per game even more crucial, as the Lakers look to maintain their early-season momentum.
Boston will lean on Jaylen Brown, who leads the team with 29 points per game, and Derrick White, contributing 17 points and 5.3 assists. Payton Pritchard adds 17.3 points while Anfernee Simons brings 13.7 points per contest, helping Boston maintain a balanced scoring attack despite Tatum’s absence.
This matchup marks the first meeting of the 2025-26 season between the historic rivals. Friday’s 7:00 PM ET tipoff at TD Garden.
