After an unexpected run to the Western Conference last season, expectations are high for the Los Angeles Lakers going into 2023-24 after further improving the roster.
The Lakers were able to keep their keep free agents like Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura while making quality additions like Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince.
With a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers have legit championship aspirations this season, although it will be no easy task with a number of other high-profile teams also improving in the offseason.
As the season draws closer, portions of the schedule are starting to leak out and as usual, the Lakers will be playing on the league’s most important days. It was previously reported that the Lakers will open up the season on the road against the defending champion Denver Nuggets in a Western Conference rematch.
Now, Shams Charania of The Athletic is reporting that the Lakers will host the rival Boston Celtics as part of a huge Christmas Day slate:
NBA’s Christmas Day games for the 2023-24 season, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium:
?Bucks @ Knicks
?76ers @ Heat
?Celtics @ Lakers
?Mavericks @ Suns
?Warriors @ Nuggets— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 11, 2023
The NBA always tries to put it’s best and biggest market teams on the Christmas Day schedule, and they succeeded in doing that this year. Things will start with a pair of Eastern Conference matchups with Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks going to Madison Square Garden to take on the New York Knicks and then former teammates in Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler squaring off when the Philadelphia 76ers take on the Miami Heat.
The Lakers and Celtics will be squaring off in the middle game of the day, likely at 2:30 p.m. PT at Crypto.com Arena. This marks their first matchup on Christmas Day since 2008 when L.A. won 92-84. The Lakers are 3-1 all-time against Boston on Christmas.
To end the night, the league will feature two star-studded Western Conference matchups with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Bradley Beal and the Phoenix Suns hosting Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and the Dallas Mavericks and Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets hosting Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.
The rest of the NBA schedule will likely be released in the coming weeks, but the two games the Lakers will be playing that are already known will be some of their toughest all season.
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