On Saturday night, two of the NBA's most historic franchises will face off in a highly-anticipated, primetime clash.
The Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Lakers - both the No. 2 seeds in their respective conferences - will meet on the TD Garden floor for an important NBA contest at 8:30 p.m. EST.
This matchup features some of the biggest names in the game, including Celtics superstar Jayson Tatum and all-time great basketball legend LeBron James.
During a press conference earlier this week, Tatum delivered a powerful message about James and his greatness.
"As much as we probably talk about LeBron, we probably don't talk about him enough," Tatum said. "Being 40, in his 22nd season, playing at an All-NBA level is an incredible testament to the work ethic that he's put in. His game, his body, to stay in the best shape to be able to compete and perform at the highest level for over two decades now. Something that we should all strive to do, even if it might be unlikely. But it's a joy to be able to compete against him in these matchups for however long we get to do it for."
Jayson Tatum asked by @_KhariThompson about gearing up to face LeBron James:
"As much as we talk about LeBron, we probably don't talk about him enough. Being 40, in his 22nd season, playing at an All NBA level is an incredible testament to the work ethic that he's put in." pic.twitter.com/gv5XYc39w5
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) March 7, 2025
Tatum and James will be opponents on Saturday night. But this past summer, the two NBA All-Stars got the unique opportunity to compete alongside each other at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Together, they helped Team USA notch yet another Olympic gold medal.
Tatum is in the midst of another impressive campaign after leading the Celtics to an NBA title last season. The 27-year-old All-Star is averaging 26.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
James is averaging 25.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and 8.5 assists per game as a 40-year-old veteran in his 22nd NBA season. He and his Lakers squad are on an eight-game win streak heading into Saturday night's road matchup against the Celtics.
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This story was originally published March 8, 2025 at 5:19 PM.