The Boston Celtics welcome the Los Angeles Lakers to TD Garden on Saturday night for a high-profile battle between two second-seeded teams. The Lakers, riding an eight-game winning streak, dominated the first meeting on Jan. 23 with a 117-96 victory and will look to complete the season sweep on the road.
While the Lakers have been on fire since acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, the Celtics have had to battle through injuries. Their latest win over the Philadelphia 76ers came without several key starters, leaving Jayson Tatum to lead a depleted squad. However, Boston received a major boost ahead of Saturday’s matchup.
Starting center Kristaps Porzingis, who has missed the last four games due to illness, announced his return by responding to a fan’s comment on social media. His official status per the Celtics is questionable with an illness, but the 2024 NBA champion says he is playing.
When asked if he would play against the Lakers, Porzingis answered with a single word: “Yes.”
His announcement reignited a viral clip of Luka Doncic, who previously joked about how sidelined players tend to return just in time to face the Lakers.
“I didn’t believe it before,” Doncic said playfully after the Lakers’ win against the Clippers on March 2. “But they say if somebody is out a long time, then they play against the Lakers… So I think that’s normal [now].”
Doncic and Porzingis were once teammates in Dallas before Porzingis was traded to the Washington Wizards in 2022. After one season in Washington, he landed in Boston, where he played a crucial role in securing the franchise’s record-breaking 18th championship—ironically, against Doncic and the Mavericks in last year’s NBA Finals.
With Porzingis back in the lineup, the Celtics will have a size advantage against a shorthanded Lakers frontcourt. The highly anticipated matchup between Boston and LA is set for 8:30 PM ET on Saturday.
