Head coach JJ Redick said he was encouraged by the Los Angeles Lakers’ resolve despite a 123-102 loss to the Boston Celtics on Dec. 5, 2025, at TD Garden.
The matchup came less than 24 hours after Los Angeles edged the Toronto Raptors, and Boston seized control immediately, building a double-digit lead that never wavered. The Celtics hit better than 50 percent of their three-point attempts, while the Lakers struggled early on offense and trailed by 21 at the break.
Redick noted that the team’s internal “expected score” metric, which weighs shot quality, showed a far closer game. “Expected score we were down two at halftime; expected score we won by two,” he told Spectrum SportsNet. According to Redick, the Lakers posted one of their highest first-half paint-touch rates of the season but converted just 5-for-13 on non-rim two-point attempts.
Los Angeles outscored Boston by one over the final three quarters, yet the early deficit proved insurmountable. “I thought our fight was good. There were a lot of moments where we certainly could’ve broken and we didn’t. That’s a credit to our guys,” Redick said.
The coach stood by the defensive game plan, explaining that the Lakers were willing to concede certain outside shots. Jaylen Brown, a low-30 percent shooter on off-the-dribble threes, buried three straight in the third quarter, while rookie Jordan Walsh hit four triples, three of them contested. “You’ve got to be willing to live with certain things, and they made us pay,” Redick added.
Redick acknowledged that the roster remained shorthanded and said he is embracing a tougher upcoming stretch that includes Sunday’s visit to the Philadelphia 76ers. “It’ll give us a chance to measure ourselves,” he said.
Source: LakersNation.com
