The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, left, and Lakers guard Gabe Vincent battle for the ball during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Lakers center Jaxson Hayes (11) takes a shot during the first half of a game against the Boston Celtics on Frid ay, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers head coach JJ Redick calls out to his players from the sideline during the first half of a game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, drives to the basket as Lakers guard Gabe Vincent defends during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers center Deandre Ayton takes a shot in front of the Boston Celtics’ Jordan Walsh (27) during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) grabs a rebound in front of Lakers forward Rui Hachimura, left, during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla, right, and fans applaud after a basket during the first half of a game against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers guard Austin Reaves handles the ball as the Boston Celtics’ Jordan Walsh defends during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Lakers star Lebron James, center, stands next to the bench during a game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta, right, tries to block a shot by Lakers center Deandre Ayton during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers forward Jake LaRavia drives to the basket as the Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown defends during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Lakers guard Nick Smith Jr. attempts a shot as the Boston Celtics’ Neemias Queta defends during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta (88) helps free the basketball after it got stuck behind the basket during the first half of a game against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers forward Rui Hachimura shoots as the Boston Celtics’ Derrick White (9) defends during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown drives to the basket during the first half of a game against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Celtics guard Jordan Walsh, left, battles for a loose ball against Lakers guard Austin Reaves during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown looks to make a move to the basket as Lakers forward Jake LaRavia defends during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, left, takes a 3-point shot during the first half of a game against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers guard Austin Reaves looks to shoot as the Boston Celtics’ Baylor Scheierman defends during the first half on Friday night in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Lakers guard Nick Smith Jr. handles the ball as the Boston Celtics’ Payton Pritchard defends during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) leaps to block a pass by Lakers guard Nick Smith Jr. (20) during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers forward Rui Hachimura drives to the basket as Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown defends during the second half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers guard Austin Reaves, left, loses control of the ball on a drive to the basket as Boston Celtics forward Sam Hauser defends during the second half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers star Lebron James yawns while standing next to the bench during a game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers guard Bronny James dunks during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown takes a shot at Lakers center Deandre Ayton defends during the second half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown celebrates after making a 3-point shot during the second half of a game against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Lakers guard Gabe Vincent reacts during the second half of their game against the Boston Celtics on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives to the basket as Boston Celtics guard Anfernee Simons defends during the second half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) The Boston Celtics’ Jordan Walsh reacts after being called for a foul during the second half of a game against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Lakers guard Bronny James drives to the basket as the Boston Celtics’ Jordan Walsh, right, and Baylor Scheierman defend during the second half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) The Boston Celtics’ Derrick White falls into a fan seated courtside during the second half of a game against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, left, shakes hands with his former teammate, Lakers guard Marcus Smart after their game on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Show Caption1 of 33The Boston Celtics’ Jaylen Brown, left, and Lakers guard Gabe Vincent battle for the ball during the first half on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025, in Boston. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) Expand BOSTON — Once the Lakers’ injury report for Friday night was released, revealing that they would be without Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Marcus Smart against the Boston Celtics on the second night of a back-to-back set, the onus was once again implicitly on Austin Reaves to raise his play to an even higher level. And after a slow start, Reaves eventually did, leading the Lakers with 36 points and eight assists. But it wasn’t nearly enough to make up for the overall struggles of the Lakers, who lost to the Celtics, 126-105, at TD Garden one night after beating the Toronto Raptors. “Our fight was good,” Coach JJ Redick said. “There [were] a lot of moments when we certainly could have broken and we didn’t, and it’s a credit to our guys.” The loss dropped the Lakers to 16-6 for the season and 1-1 on a trip that ends Sunday night against the Philadelphia 76ers – a game that could see Doncic, James and Smart return to the lineup. “The hope for all the guys would be that they’re available Sunday,” Redick said. “That’s the hope for everybody.” Jaylen Brown had 30 points and eight assists to lead the Celtics, who led by as many as 29 points during the second quarter of a wire-to-wire win. “They were just making a lot of shots, especially in that first quarter,” forward Jake LaRavia said. “I feel like there were sometimes where we lacked physicality. But they were making shots and obviously you got to live with some of them, but a lot of them, it was just one of those nights for them.” Boston knocked down a season-high 24 3-pointers (on 45 attempts), with Derrick White (19 points, six assists) leading the way with five 3s. “You gotta be willing to live with certain things and they made us pay,” Redick said. “You can talk about a game plan all you want, but you gotta be able to figure out what you’re willing to live with. They made us pay.” Jordan Walsh (17 points, four rebounds) and Sam Hauser (12 points) both knocked down four 3-pointers, while Payton Pritchard (15 points, six assists) and Brown each knocked down three apiece to help the Celtics get off to their hot start. “At the end of the day, our job is to come out here on the court, and that starting group, me included, we’re supposed to come out with a bang,” LaRavia said. “Come out with some pop and kind of get the game going. And it just didn’t happen.” Boston led by 22 (39-17) after the first quarter, with Walsh’s defensive pressure impacting Reaves, who missed his first five shot attempts as the Lakers shot 6 for 26 (23.1%) from the field in the period. “He just plays hard as crap every single possession and don’t take a possession off,” Reaves said of Walsh. “His ability, his length, his athleticism, he’s physically gifted and moves really well. I can see him being one of the best defenders in the league for many years to come. He’s a good player.” The Celtics carried a 69-46 lead into halftime. “First half, we had the highest paint-touch rate we’ve had in a half, or one of the highest paint touch rates we’ve had,” Redick said. “We’ve been one of the best non-rim paint two teams in the league; we shot 5 for 13 there. And we outscored them by one the last three quarters. “Unfortunately, that’s not how basketball works. And you end up losing a game by 21. I thought our fight was good. There [were] a lot of moments when we certainly could have broken and we didn’t, and it’s a credit to our guys.” Reaves scored 16 of his points in the third, a quarter the Lakers won 36-28 to cut their deficit to 97-82 entering the fourth. But the Celtics opened the final quarter with a 9-0 run on 3-pointers from Walsh, White and Hauser, to extend their lead to 106-82. The Lakers didn’t get any closer than 18 the rest of the night. Gabe Vincent had 18 points on 5-of-10 shooting for the Lakers, while two-way contract guard Nick Smith Jr. and starting forward Rui Hachimura both scored 13 points. “Some of their looks early, they got us,” Vincent said. “In terms of, they got space, they got a shot up. Boston’s been doing that for years – coming out in the first quarter and getting hot.” Related Articles Luka Doncic could rejoin Lakers for Sunday’s game against 76ers Alexander: Was it really that surprising that LeBron made the right play? 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