NBA regular season: Zhan Mei was injured and the Lakers sent the Green Army to a third home defeat Reaves hit a new high with 7 three-pointers
On February 2, Beijing time, James was absent at the same time for the first time this season, and the Lakers defeated the league's No. 1 Celtics 114-105 on the road, causing a big upset. Reaves was on a hot streak, contributing 32 points, shooting 7-of-10 from three-point range, scoring a season-high and hitting a career-high seven three-pointers. Although Russell had a poor hand and was only 5-of-20, he also contributed 16 points, 8 rebounds and 14 assists, both rebounds and assists set a new personal season high. Vanderbilt went off the field without a right foot injury. It was the 300th battle in the history of the Lakers and the Greens, and the Lakers won.
The Lakers led the Celtics by as many as 16 points, and the Green Army narrowed the gap to single digits in the second half, but still lost at home. The three-point shot became the winning weapon of the Lakers, and in the whole game, the Lakers made 19 of 36 three-pointers. The Greens have won the most at home this season and this is only their third defeat at home.
Statistics
Lakers: Reaves 32 points and 7 three-pointers, Russell 16 points, 8 rebounds and 14 assists, Hayes 16 points, 10 rebounds and 3 steals, Prince 11 points and 8 rebounds, Vanderbilt 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals (injury retirement), Hachimura 15 points and 8 rebounds, Christie 9 points
Celtics: Tatum 23 points and 7 rebounds, Porzingis 17 points, 7 rebounds and 5 blocks, Brown 8 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, Hauser 17 points and 5 three-pointers, Holiday 8 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, Pritchard 8 points, Horford 6 points and 9 rebounds, White 9 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists
The star of the game
James and Bushy Eyebrows were sidelined at the same time for the first time this season, and Reaves took the offensive banner to lead the Lakers to defeat the Green Army. Hayes contributed a double-double and played well, and Russell scored a triple-double.
Match injuries
Forty-seven seconds before halftime, Vanderbilt limped back to the locker room with a right foot injury in an uncontested situation. The Lakers officially announced that he will not return to this game due to right foot soreness.
Match tidbits
Towards the end of the third quarter, the camera showed James on the sidelines, who was cutting his nails. Soon after, he stood up with Bushy Eyebrows to cheer on his teammate's goal.
Highlight reel moments
Brown opened with a violent dunk!
Reaves hit a three-pointer and he scored 19 points in the first half!
Hayes scores with a dunk!
Before the end of the first quarter, Holiday hit a shot from the whistle!
Keita's dunk makes it 2+1!
Reaves made a super difficult three-point shot and still hit it, which was his 7th three-pointer!
Game recap
In the first quarter, Brown sent a series of dunks to help the Green Army play an 8-4 start. The Lakers' Reaves hit back-to-back three-pointers, Vanderbilt and Hayes dunked back-to-back, and the Lakers responded with a 12-2 offensive run. Tatum hit a three-pointer, Reaves, Hachimura, and Russell hit another three-pointer, and the Lakers went on another 12-2 run to lead the Celtics by 11 points. Hauser hit two three-pointers in a row, and Holiday hit a shot from the buzzer, and the Green Army went on an 8-0 run. At the end of the first quarter, the Lakers led the Celtics 28-25, and Reaves scored 11 points in a single quarter.
In the second quarter, Keita scored a rebound, Russell hit a three-point shot, and Pritchard scored five points in a row, and the Green Army overtook it. Wood and Russell hit three-pointers, and the Lakers went on a 10-0 run to lead by nine points. Keita dunked to make it 2+1, and Horford and Tatum hit three-point shots. The Lakers' outside line exploded, and Reaves, Vanderbilt, and Christie also opened up the difference again with color. However, Vanderbilt left the game with a right foot injury 47 seconds before halftime. At halftime, the Lakers led the Celtics 60-46.
In the first half, the Lakers' Reaves had 19 points, 5 three-pointers and 3 assists, Vanderbilt had 10 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals, Russell had 9 points and 5 assists, and Hayes had 6 points and 7 rebounds. The Celtics' Tatum had 11 points, Brown had six points, seven rebounds and five assists, and Keita had seven points and five rebounds. In the first half, the Lakers were 13-of-25 from three-point range, while the Celtics were just 7-of-23.
In the second half, the Lakers replaced Vanderbilt with Hachimura. Porzingis dunked in the air, Reeves hit three of three free throws and then hit a three-pointer from beyond the arc, and Hayes made a quick catch. After Tatum scored five points in a row, Hauser, Pritchard, and Tatum hit three points in a row, and the Green Army went on a 12-2 run to narrow the gap to six points. Christie hit two free throws and Hayes followed up with a dunk to give the Lakers a 10-point lead. Horford hit a three-pointer and Reaves answered with a three-pointer. At the end of the third quarter, the Lakers led the Celtics 88-78.
In the final quarter, Porzingis dunked and White hit a layup, and the Green Army trailed by six points. Prince, Russell, and Hachimura scored back-to-back layups. Porzingis and Hachimura exchanged three-pointers, and Reaves hit a shot to score his 30th point, and the Lakers had a 12-point lead. White hit a three-pointer, Hayes hit back-to-back free throws, Holiday hit two in a row, and Hachimura hit another three-pointer. Porzingis scored on a hook and Russell hit a three-pointer. The Lakers scored back-to-back free throws, and the Green surrendered two minutes early. The Lakers beat the league's No. 1 Green Army on the road.
Both sides start
Lakers: Russell, Reaves, Prince, Vanderbilt, Hayes
Celtics: Holiday, White, Brown, Tatum, Porzingis