BOSTON -- — Jayson Tatum had 40 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, and the Boston Celtics held off a late rally to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-101 on Saturday night.

With LeBron James in the locker room with a strained groin, the Lakers cut a 20-point, fourth-quarter deficit to single digits. But Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored Boston’s final 12 points to preserve the win.

Brown added 31 points as the Celtics earned their fourth straight victory.

James finished with 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists before exiting midway through the fourth quarter as the Lakers had their eight-game Los Angeles win streak.

Luka Doncic had 34 points and eight rebounds in his first game in Boston since he and the Dallas Mavericks lost Game 5 of the NBA Finals as Boston clinched its 18th championship.

Takeaways

Lakers: Things fell apart in a third quarter in which they showed very little connectivity on offense. It’s clearly something that’s still missing at times with the addition of Doncic.

Celtics: Jrue Holiday return after missing four straight games with mallet finger in his right pinkie. But center Kristaps Porzingis sat for the fifth consecutive game with an illness.

Key moment

The TD Garden crowd was brought to its feet with 3:50 left in the first quarter when Brown stripped Doncic, led a fast break and found a streaking Al Horford for a two-handed slam.

Horford’s momentum caused him to swing forward, and he inadvertently kneed a trailing Doncic in the head as he swung back. No foul was called on the play, though Doncic was clearly irritated by the collision.

Key stat

The Celtics held the Lakers to 21% shooting from the field (5 of 23) in the third quarter, with Los Angeles also committing six turnovers.

Up next

The Lakers visit Brooklyn on Monday. The Celtics host the Jazz on Monday.

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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Play By Play

Recent plays and game events

TIME	PLAY
12:00	Jarred Vanderbilt vs. Al Horford (Luka Doncic gains possession)	0	0
11:36	Dorian Finney-Smith makes 27-foot three point jumper (LeBron James assists)	0	3
11:26	Jaylen Brown misses driving layup	0	3
11:25	Jaylen Brown misses 2-foot tip shot	0	3
11:25	Jaylen Brown offensive rebound	0	3
11:24	Jrue Holiday offensive rebound	0	3
11:19	Jrue Holiday bad pass (Luka Doncic steals)	0	3
11:15	Austin Reaves makes two point shot (Luka Doncic assists)	0	5
10:46	Jrue Holiday misses driving floating jump shot	0	5
10:45	Dorian Finney-Smith defensive rebound	0	5
10:26	Jarred Vanderbilt makes dunk (LeBron James assists)	0	7
10:13	Jaylen Brown lost ball turnover (Dorian Finney-Smith steals)	0	7
10:00	Austin Reaves misses two point shot	0	7
9:59	Al Horford defensive rebound	0	7
9:47	Jaylen Brown makes 16-foot jumper (Derrick White assists)	2	7
9:25	Jayson Tatum shooting foul	2	7
9:25	Luka Doncic misses free throw 1 of 2	2	7
9:25	Lakers offensive team rebound	2	7
9:25	Luka Doncic makes free throw 2 of 2	2	8
9:17	Jayson Tatum misses 28-foot three point pullup jump shot	2	8
9:16	LeBron James defensive rebound	2	8
9:07	LeBron James misses 26-foot three point jumper	2	8
9:04	Jayson Tatum defensive rebound	2	8
8:59	Jaylen Brown makes two point shot (Jayson Tatum assists)	4	8
8:47	LeBron James makes 13-foot two point shot	4	10
8:37	Jaylen Brown misses driving layup	4	10
8:36	Dorian Finney-Smith defensive rebound	4	10
8:22	Derrick White blocks LeBron James 's 2-foot two point shot	4	10
8:21	LeBron James offensive rebound	4	10
8:20	LeBron James makes two point shot	4	12
8:05	Jayson Tatum makes 1-foot driving dunk (Derrick White assists)	6	12
7:45	Dorian Finney-Smith misses 28-foot three point jumper	6	12
7:43	Al Horford defensive rebound	6	12
7:31	Al Horford misses 7-foot two point shot	6	12
7:29	Jarred Vanderbilt defensive rebound	6	12
7:13	Dorian Finney-Smith makes 3-foot two point shot (LeBron James assists)	6	14
7:13	Celtics Full timeout	6	14
7:13	Gabe Vincent enters the game for Jarred Vanderbilt	6	14
6:59	Jayson Tatum misses 28-foot three point step back jumpshot	6	14
6:56	Al Horford offensive rebound	6	14
6:52	Jayson Tatum makes 24-foot three point jumper (Derrick White assists)	9	14
6:35	Dorian Finney-Smith makes 25-foot three point jumper (Luka Doncic assists)	9	17
6:16	Jaylen Brown makes 23-foot three point jumper (Al Horford assists)	12	17
6:06	Luka Doncic makes 28-foot three pointer	12	20
5:49	Jrue Holiday makes 13-foot two point shot	14	20
5:32	Luka Doncic misses 28-foot three point step back jumpshot	14	20
5:31	Jaylen Brown defensive rebound	14	20
5:17	Al Horford makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jaylen Brown assists)	17	20
4:53	Austin Reaves makes 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	17	23
4:38	Derrick White makes 23-foot three point jumper (Jayson Tatum assists)	20	23
4:20	LeBron James misses 25-foot three point step back jumpshot	20	23
4:19	Derrick White defensive rebound	20	23
4:09	LeBron James shooting foul	20	23
4:09	Jaylen Brown misses free throw 1 of 2	20	23
4:09	Celtics offensive team rebound	20	23
4:09	Payton Pritchard enters the game for Jrue Holiday	20	23
4:09	Dalton Knecht enters the game for Austin Reaves	20	23
4:09	Jordan Goodwin enters the game for LeBron James	20	23
4:09	Jaylen Brown makes free throw 2 of 2	21	23
3:53	Luka Doncic lost ball turnover (Jaylen Brown steals)	21	23
3:50	Al Horford makes 1-foot dunk (Jaylen Brown assists)	23	23
3:50	Lakers Full timeout	23	23
3:27	Jordan Goodwin makes 23-foot three point jumper (Gabe Vincent assists)	23	26
3:19	Payton Pritchard misses 24-foot three point step back jumpshot	23	26
3:18	Luka Doncic defensive rebound	23	26
3:01	Luka Doncic misses 16-foot two point shot	23	26
3:00	Payton Pritchard defensive rebound	23	26
2:48	Jaylen Brown misses 12-foot pullup jump shot	23	26
2:47	Dalton Knecht defensive rebound	23	26
2:38	Jaylen Brown personal foul	23	26
2:24	Payton Pritchard blocks Luka Doncic 's 8-foot driving floating jump shot	23	26
2:23	Al Horford defensive rebound	23	26
2:21	Jayson Tatum makes 2-foot dunk (Al Horford assists)	25	26
2:04	Luka Doncic lost ball turnover (Al Horford steals)	25	26
2:00	Jaylen Brown makes two point shot (Al Horford assists)	27	26
1:51	Dorian Finney-Smith misses 22-foot three point jumper	27	26
1:50	Al Horford defensive rebound	27	26
1:44	Luke Kornet enters the game for Derrick White	27	26
1:44	LeBron James enters the game for Gabe Vincent	27	26
1:44	Trey Jemison III enters the game for Dorian Finney-Smith	27	26
1:44	Luka Doncic vs. Jaylen Brown (Al Horford gains possession)	27	26
1:38	Dalton Knecht blocks Jaylen Brown's driving layup	27	26
1:38	Dalton Knecht vs. Jaylen Brown (LeBron James gains possession)	27	26
1:38	Lakers defensive team rebound	27	26
1:38	Sam Hauser enters the game for Al Horford	27	26
1:38	Gabe Vincent enters the game for Luka Doncic	27	26
1:29	Dalton Knecht makes two point shot (LeBron James assists)	27	28
1:13	Jayson Tatum misses driving layup	27	28
1:12	LeBron James defensive rebound	27	28
1:02	LeBron James makes 5-foot two point shot (Dalton Knecht assists)	27	30
48.1	Jayson Tatum makes 27-foot three point step back jumpshot	30	30
31.1	Jordan Goodwin makes 25-foot three point jumper (LeBron James assists)	30	33
8.0	Jayson Tatum makes 28-foot three point jumper (Payton Pritchard assists)	33	33
1.1	Jordan Goodwin misses 27-foot three point pullup jump shot	33	33
1.1	Lakers offensive team rebound	33	33
0.0	End of the 1st Quarter	33	33

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Game Information

Time, Location & Referees

Venue

TD Garden

Boston, MA

Date & Time

1:30 AM, March 9, 2025

Coverage

ABC, ESPN+, ERADM

Attendance

19,156

Referees

James Williams, Jason Goldenberg, Natalie Sago

2025-26 Pacific Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
LA Lakers	35	24	.593	W1
Phoenix	34	26	.567	W1
Golden State	31	29	.517	L1
LA Clippers	27	31	.466	L3
Sacramento	14	47	.230	W1

2025-26 Atlantic Standings

TEAM	W	L	PCT	STRK
Boston	39	20	.661	W1
New York	38	22	.633	W1
Toronto	35	25	.583	W1
Philadelphia	33	26	.559	W3
Brooklyn	15	44	.254	L7

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Tatum scores 40, Celtics beat Lakers 111-101 after James leaves late with groin injury

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