The Los Angeles Lakers-Boston Celtics showdown tonight (7:30 ET, TNT) should have decidedly more star power in it.
Lakers big man Anthony Davis will be available to play for the first time in five games. In addition, Celtics forward Jaylen Brown is available to play after missing two games and guard Kemba Walker expects to play after missing the team’s last game.
Davis had been out since Jan. 7 after suffering a gluteus maximus contusion in a win against the Knicks. The Lakers have won 10 of their last 11 games, their lone loss coming in a Jan. 15 upset at the hands of the Orlando Magic. In addition, Lakers guard (and former Celtics star) Rajon Rondo is questionable to play tonight with an avulsion fracture in his right ring finger.
Anthony Davis is available to play for tonight’s game in Boston.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) January 20, 2020
#NEBHInjuryReport update: Jaylen Brown (thumb) and Kemba Walker (knee) are both expected to play tonight vs. the Lakers.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 20, 2020
This season, Davis is averaging 27.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.6 blocks per game. The Lakers are 34-8 and the No. 1 team in the Western Conference, holding a 4 1/2 game over the LA Clippers for that perch. They have gone 29-6 with Davis in the lineup, but scored road wins against the Thunder, Mavericks and Rockets in recent days with him out of the mix.
Brown was out because of a right thumb sprain, while Walker was sidelined with left knee soreness. Boston went 0-2 in those games, suffering defeats to the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns. This season, Brown ranks as the Celtics’ second-leading scorer (20 ppg) while also posting 6.9 rpg, 2.3 apg and 1.1 spg. Walker is Boston’s top scorer (22.1 ppg) and leads them in assists as well (4.9 apg).
After beating the Rockets in Houston, the Lakers are now 30-0 in games they led after the third and 14-0 in Western Conference arenas outside of L.A. They have as many losses against the East (11-4) as they do against the West (23-4), and they’ll finish their Grammys trip with a jaunt through the Northeast Corridor.
