The Los Angeles Lakers’ long-standing rivalry with the Boston Celtics took another rough turn on February 22, 2026, when Boston cruised to a 111-89 victory at Crypto.com Arena. Head coach JJ Redick said the defeat had little to do with defense and everything to do with an offense he labeled “awful.”
“We did enough defensively. We were just awful offensively tonight,” Redick told reporters, noting that when he emptied the bench with 3:22 left, Boston had 105 points while shooting 47.0 percent overall and 12-for-32 from three-point range. Los Angeles, he added, had successfully held the Celtics to fewer than 50 points in the paint and limited fast-break chances, but could not score enough to stay close.
Cold shooting and poor shot selection
According to Redick, the Lakers settled for too many jumpers early, taking 11 non-paint two-pointers in the first half and converting only 13 of 29 attempts inside the paint away from the rim. “There were opportunities to put more pressure on the rim,” he said. “We got some good looks from three; we didn’t knock them down.”
The Lakers’ primary scorers struggled collectively. Luka Dončić, LeBron James and Austin Reaves combined to shoot 22-for-53. Reaves finished with 15 points on 4-of-10 from the field. Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart totaled four points, with Smart missing all seven of his shots. Reserve guard Luke Kennard provided nine points, the only notable contribution off the bench.
Special night for Pat Riley overshadowed
The matchup came on the same day the Lakers unveiled a statue of Pat Riley outside the arena. A first-quarter stalemate briefly suggested a competitive night, but Boston controlled the final three periods and handed Los Angeles its latest setback against a title contender during the 2025-26 campaign.
Redick said the coaching staff must rejuvenate the offense before Tuesday’s game against the Orlando Magic.
Smart reflects on wearing both jerseys
After the game, Marcus Smart — one of only 42 NBA players to suit up for both the Celtics and Lakers — called the experience “unique and great,” underscoring the rarity of representing both sides of the league’s most storied rivalry.
Source: LakersNation.com
