The Boston Celtics (36-19) take on the Los Angeles Lakers (34-21) in a marquee rivalry matchup on Sunday, February 22, 2026. The Celtics, second in the Eastern Conference and winners of seven of their last eight, look to extend their road success against a Lakers team that’s 10-5 in its last 15 but faces questions with Luka Doncic’s recent return from injury. Boston enters as a slim road favorite, with Jayson Tatum’s absence potentially leveling the playing field in this historic clash. Below is a comprehensive breakdown, including team analysis and betting insights.
Venue Location
Crypto.com Arena, Los Angeles, California.
This 18,997-capacity venue, home to the Lakers since 1999, has hosted countless iconic Celtics-Lakers battles and boasts a strong home atmosphere, with LAL posting a 18-10 home record this season.
Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. PST).
The game will be broadcast nationally on NBC/Peacock, with radio coverage on SiriusXM, KSPN (Lakers) and WBZ-FM (Celtics).
Recent Team Forms
The Celtics are 7-1 in their last eight, showcasing elite defense (holding opponents under 100 in four wins). The Lakers are 3-2 in their last five, with strong home performances but road inconsistencies.
Here’s a summary of their last five games:
| Team | Date | Opponent | Result | Key Notes |
| BOS | Feb 19, 2026 | @ Golden State Warriors | W 121-110 | Jaylen Brown: 23 pts, 15 reb, 13 ast (triple-double); Pritchard 26 pts. |
| BOS | Feb 11, 2026 | vs. Chicago Bulls | W 124-105 | Pritchard: 26 pts, 8 ast; Brown 24 pts; Strong 3PT shooting (18-45). |
| BOS | Feb 8, 2026 | vs. New York Knicks | L 89-111 | Offensive struggles (37% FG); Turnovers hurt (21). |
| BOS | Feb 6, 2026 | vs. Miami Heat | W 98-96 | Brown: Clutch scoring; Defense holds MIA to 96 pts. |
| BOS | Feb 4, 2026 | @ Houston Rockets | W 114-93 | Efficient shooting (51.6 FG%); Dominant rebounding (57). |
| LAL | Feb 20, 2026 | vs. LA Clippers | W 125-122 | Luka Doncic: 38 pts, 11 ast; LeBron James: 36 pts; Close thriller. |
| LAL | Feb 12, 2026 | vs. Dallas Mavericks | W 124-104 | Doncic: Efficient scoring; Strong defense (DAL 104 pts). |
| LAL | Feb 10, 2026 | vs. San Antonio Spurs | L 108-136 | Defensive collapse; Allowed 136 pts. |
| LAL | Feb 9, 2026 | vs. Oklahoma City Thunder | L 110-119 | Doncic: Solid but turnovers key; OKC exploits mismatches. |
| LAL | Feb 7, 2026 | vs. Golden State Warriors | W 105-99 | Balanced attack; Held GSW under 100. |
Boston is 7-3 in its last 10, averaging 113.7 PPG with top-tier defense.
LAL is 6-4 in its last 10, leaning on home strength (10-5 in last 15 overall).
Injury Report
Injuries favor the Lakers, with Boston missing its star forward.
- Boston Celtics:
- Out: Jayson Tatum (Achilles – repair; out until March).
- Out: Max Shulga (G League – Two-Way).
- Doubtful: Amari Williams (G League – On Assignment).
- Key players like Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard are available, but Tatum’s absence (season-long) removes 25+ PPG.
- Los Angeles Lakers:
- Out: Bronny James (G League – On Assignment).
- Out: Adou Thiero (G League – On Assignment).
- The Lakers are fully healthy otherwise, with stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves available.
Key
Player Matchups
Tatum’s absence shifts Boston’s offense to Brown, while the Lakers’ star duo could exploit mismatches.
- Jaylen Brown (BOS) vs. Luka Doncic (LAL): Brown (29.2 PPG, 4th in NBA) carries Boston’s scoring; Doncic (33 PPG, 1st in NBA) returns from hamstring issues and could dominate with playmaking (38 pts in last game).
- Derrick White (BOS) vs. Austin Reaves (LAL): White’s two-way play (17 PPG, defense) vs. Reaves’ scoring (20+ PPG recently); Perimeter battle could decide pace.
- Payton Pritchard (BOS) vs. LeBron James (LAL): Pritchard (hot streak: 26 PPG in recent wins) provides bench spark; James (25 PPG, 8 APG) anchors LAL’s veteran presence.
- Other Notes: Nikola Vucevic (BOS) controls rebounds vs. Deandre Ayton (LAL); Boston’s 3PT edge (top-5) vs. LAL’s efficient interior scoring.
Series History
Boston leads the all-time series 211-166.
The Celtics have won 7 of the last 10 meetings, including a 126-105 victory on Dec. 5, 2025 (Brown 30 pts).
LAL’s last win was in 2024-25; Boston holds a 43-31 playoff edge, with 9 series wins to LAL’s 3.
Betting Trends
- Trends: Boston is 31-23-1 ATS overall and 21-16 ATS as 1.5+ favorites.
LAL is 29-26 ATS and 4-14 ATS as 1.5+ underdogs.
The over has hit in 8 of Boston’s last 10 and 25 of LAL’s last 35 home games (+13.65 units ROI).
Celtics are 7-3 ATS in last 10 vs. LAL.
Game Odds
Boston Celtics – 1.5
Los Angeles Lakers 229.5
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, February 21, 2026
