The best rivalry in the NBA will be renewed on Christmas Day this year as the Los Angeles Lakers will host the Boston Celtics on ABC at 3 p.m. PT.
The Lakers and Celtics, of course, are tied for the most championships in NBA history with 17 and both are hoping to be in contention for No. 18 this season.
While Christmas Day won’t be a postseason or NBA Finals game, the atmosphere at Crypto.com Arena will certainly feel like it with these two teams squaring off in the premiere matchup of the slate.
One person who is looking forward to the matchup is Celtics star Jayson Tatum, who has played on Christmas Day every year of his career so far, via NBA on X:
"Celtics vs. Lakers on Christmas… doesn't get too much better than that."
Jayson Tatum is hyped for Boston's #NBAXmas showdown ??
Lakers-Celtics | 5pm/et on ABC & ESPN pic.twitter.com/P3W3D9wvsC
— NBA (@NBA) December 22, 2023
Both matchups between the Lakers and Celtics last season came down to the wire with Boston coming out on top in overtime. The game in Boston did not come without controversy and Tatum infamously fouled LeBron James on a layup at the buzzer when the game was tied. Much to the dismay of James and the Lakers, no foul was called and the Celtics would go on to win in overtime.
It’s a new season now though, as the Lakers are going into the Christmas Day game desperate for a win given their struggles in the month of December.
James has already passed another Lakers legend in Kobe Bryant to become the NBA’s all-time leading scorer on Christmas, so he will be adding to that total when he takes the floor this year against the Celtics.
Jayson Tatum in awe of recent performance by Lakers’ LeBron James
What James continues to do in his 21st NBA season is extremely impressive to everyone, including other stars around the league.
After a recent performance by LeBron against the L.A. Clippers, Tatum took to social media to express how he was in awe at the Lakers star.
Hopefully the same will be the case on Christmas Day with James leading the Lakers to a much-needed victory over Tatum and the Celtics. It won’t come easy though as Boston owns one of the best records in the NBA and would surely like to push L.A. further out of the playoff picture with a win.
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