Lakers vs. Celtics: 3 takeaways from Lakers' Christmas Day loss

1

His mind raced back to the things he could have done better even after he had played with force for the Lakers against the NBA’s best team in the Boston Celtics.

“You always think about shots you could’ve made,” Anthony Davis said. “Defensive plays you could’ve made. Rebounds you could have had. Free throws I could’ve made. Things like that that could’ve changed the game.”

Davis’ 40 points, 13 rebounds and four assists in 38 minutes and 50 seconds were dominant, but his performance wasn’t nearly enough to stop the Lakers from falling 126-115 to the Celtics at Crypto.com Arena on Christmas Day.

He was 15-for-26 shooting from the field. He was eight of 10 on free throws.

But Davis lamented one missed free throw in the third quarter that was a big point moment in the game for the Lakers.

He missed the second of two free throws with 2:16 left in the third, leaving the Lakers down by seven points.

The Celtics took advantage, running after the miss, scoring on a three-pointer by Al Horford, pushing Boston’s lead to 10 points and leaving the Lakers in a catch-up mode from which they never recovered .

“I was actually thinking about it in the game, I missed a free throw in the third quarter and they end up getting a fast-break three,” Davis said. “And all I was thinking was, ‘If I make the free throw, that doesn’t happen.’ So, throughout the course of a game, and then after when you watch film, you think about what you could’ve done better individually and as a team to try to combat some of the mistakes.”

2

Taurean Prince puts in the time

Lakers forward Taurean Prince shoots over Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown during the second half Monday.

As Taurean Prince sat down to do a postgame interview, he sighed.

“Oh, man,” Prince said.

He played 38 minutes, 59 seconds. He chased Boston’s two top offensive players, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, around the court. He dropped in 17 points on five-for-12 shooting on three-pointers.

If that was taxing, Prince wasn’t willing to admit it.

“Um, it’s part of the game,” he said. “I’ve been in the league eight years so it’s not much I haven’t seen. I know how to prepare and get ready for those type of wars. I knew today would be one of those and 38 minutes I think that speaks for itself, and AD [Davis] and Bron [LeBron James] the same thing. So, the recovery game starts now. So, just trying to continue to do what I can off the court to make sure I’m available.”

It has become clear that the more minutes Prince plays, the more effective he has become.

Over the course of his last eight games, he averaged 35.2 minutes.

In that time, he averaged 13.7 points per game and shot 49.3% from the field and 44.6% from three-point range.

When asked about his increased minutes, Prince said, “I’m feeling good,” and that the Lakers put “the people in place to help us recover and get ready to play games.”

“But my legs feel fine,” he added. “They are fine and that’s just part of it. That’s why we do what we do. That’s why we get paid what we get paid. So, if it’s 48, then cool. If it’s 20, then cool. My job is to be ready and do my job when I’m ready between the lines.”

3

It’s all in the details for the Lakers

All the details matter, Lakers coach Darvin Ham said, and they matter all the time.

The Lakers didn’t get back on defense enough, allowing the Celtics to score 23 fast-break points.

The Lakers fouled too much on defense, allowing Boston to separate from them in the third quarter by making 12 of 14 free throws.

The Lakers didn’t get enough stops on defense, allowing the Celtics to shoot 50.5% from the field.

“We can’t get bored with the details,” Ham said. “Sprinting back each and every time, no matter how difficult it may be, fatigue, what have you. Gotta sprint back [in] transition D, allow the chance to have the offense in front of you and not be scattered or have them behind you. And not fouling, getting the defensive rebound, not turning the ball over, having them organized and playing with force offensively.”

Lakers vs. Celtics takeaways: Anthony Davis laments falling short at critical moment

Taurean Prince puts in the time

It’s all in the details for the Lakers

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