The Boston Celtics will face off against the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Feb. 22. The game will be the latest installment of arguably the most fierce rivalry in the entire NBA. And while Jayson Tatum remains sidelined with an Achilles injury, the Celtics will head into the game looking to secure an important win.
Joe Mazzulla’s team has been defying expectations this season. In what was supposed to be a gap year, the Celtics are second in the Eastern Conference with a 36-19 record.
Throughout the years, the Celtics and Lakers have served up some stellar basketball games. From Magic Johnson and Larry Bird to Paul Pierce and Kobe Bryant, there have always been stellar All-Star-level matchups on offer. Sunday will be no different, as Jaylen Brown continues to build his MVP case.
When speaking to the media on Saturday, Feb. 21, as part of his post-practice news conference, Mazzulla was quick to point out those who have come before him as a reason why a Celtics vs. Lakers game is such an incredible draw.
“The reason why this job is the way it is, and the reason why the team is the way it is, is because of the people that have gone before you, and it's been a bunch of people,” Mazzulla said, via Justin Turpin. “Who has left the Celtics in a better place. And anytime you step on the court, you have to understand the history and the tradition that they have. And, you know, Celtics players are an example. So it's really just the gratitude of the people who came before you on both sides of the team that makes something like this special. At the same time, it doesn't take away from the margins that we have.”
With the Lakers now building around Luka Doncic, there will continue to be some memorable matchups in the years to come. It’s also fair to say that Mazzulla is proving himself as one of the best coaches in the NBA and will be writing chapters of his own story whenever Boston faces their fiercest rivals.
As such, Celtics fans will undoubtedly hope that tonight’s chapter is a positive one. If the team can win their next four straight games, they will reach the elusive 40-20 mark and prove they’re one of the genuine threats in the Eastern Conference.
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