Celtics Make Unexpected Luka Doncic, LeBron James Post on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Boston Celtics enjoyed another outstanding season, finishing with a 61-21 record, enough to earn them the Eastern Conference’s second seed, reasserting themselves as title contenders. Despite falling short of their ultimate goal—an NBA championship—their consistency, defensive tenacity, and star power made 2024-25 one of their most memorable campaigns.
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Following an impressive title run, the Celtics were dubbed as one of the favorites to repeat as champions, and they lived up to the bill in several games throughout the year. One of the season’s most electric moments arrived on March 8 as Boston welcomed the Luka Doncic and LeBron James-led Los Angeles Lakers to TD Garden.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) and Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0)© Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images
On that buzzer-to-buzzer night, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown stepped up in a historic way. Tatum notched 40 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists while Brown chipped in 31—meaning the duo combined for 71 points on legendary opponents. Their dominance carried Boston to a 111-101 victory, breaking an eight-game Lakers winning streak.
In recognition of the highly-anticipated clash, the Celtics took to X on Wednesday to acknowledge the game: “For our Game of the Year, we’re rewinding to March 8, when the Jays outdueled Luka and LeBron, rekindling the greatest rivalry in sports.”
That night, the Celtics led for most of the game—taking control after a dominant third quarter, where they held the Lakers to just 5-of-23 from the field during that stretch.
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While Tatum and Brown flourished on the night en route to victory, the Lakers were unable to capitalize on strong performances from its superstar duo. James delivered 22 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists before exiting late due to a groin injury, while Doncic finished with 34 points, eight rebounds, and three assists in the loss.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 18, 2025, where it first appeared.