Boston Celtics vs Lakers Match Player Stats: Box Scores
James Jackson Carter Brooks • 2026-05-04 • Reviewed by Ethan Collins
The Celtics and Lakers have played some of the most memorable games in NBA history, and the 2025-26 season added two more chapters to that rivalry. Boston swept the season series with decisive wins, leaving Lakers fans wondering what might have been with a fuller roster. Here’s a complete breakdown of the match player stats, box scores, and what the numbers tell us about where these teams stand.
Full roster minutes and bench rotations for both games (ESPN box score)
Impact of LeBron James and Luka Doncic on Dec 5 outcome (ESPN game recap)
3Timeline signal
Celtics 111-89 win on Feb 22, 2026 completed the sweep (ESPN)
4What’s next
Both teams enter 2025-26 postseason contention (ESPN Celtics schedule)
The key facts table below summarizes the most recent matchup data from ESPN’s official coverage.
Stat
Value
Most Recent Winner
Boston Celtics
Score
111-89 (Feb 22, 2026)
Star Player PTS
Jaylen Brown 32
All-Time Leader
Celtics 169-135
Season Series
Celtics sweep 2-0
Next Game Date
Check current NBA schedules for future games
Who’s better, the Celtics or the Lakers?
The all-time record tilts clearly toward Boston: the Celtics lead 169-135 against the Lakers across their storied history. In the 2025-26 season, that dominance continued with a clean sweep of both meetings. The first matchup saw the Celtics win 126-105 on December 5, 2025, and the second ended 111-89 on February 22, 2026.
Three numbers tell the story of the season series: Boston shot 55% and 48% from the field across the two games, while the Lakers managed just 43% and 39%. The Celtics also won the three-point battle both times, connecting at 53% in December and 39% in February. For Lakers fans, the gap in shooting efficiency is the most painful part of these losses.
What this means
The Celtics aren’t just winning — they’re winning decisively. Both games came with significant roster challenges for Los Angeles, but the shooting gap suggests Boston has the deeper, more balanced roster right now.
All-time head-to-head record
Boston holds a 169-135 advantage in the all-time series, a margin that reflects decades of rivalry battles. The Celtics have been particularly dominant in recent seasons, winning seven of the last ten meetings. This isn’t just a historical artifact — it’s a pattern that continues into the 2025-26 campaign.
Recent match outcomes
The 2025-26 season produced two lopsided Celtics victories. On December 5, 2025, Boston won 126-105 without Jayson Tatum’s full contribution. The February 22, 2026 rematch ended 111-89, with Jaylen Brown leading the charge. Both games showed the Lakers struggling to contain Boston’s offense.
Key player stats comparison
Austin Reaves led the Lakers with 30.3 points per game during the season series period, slightly outpacing Jaylen Brown’s 28.0 points per game average. However, when the teams met directly, Brown’s 30 and 32 points outpaced Reaves’ contributions. The Celtics star also added eight rebounds and eight assists in the December game, showcasing a complete performance that Reaves couldn’t match.
The shooting percentages reveal the efficiency gap between the teams. Boston connected at 55% from the field and 53% from three in the December matchup, while Los Angeles managed only 43% and 40% respectively.
TL;DR: The Celtics hold a 169-135 all-time edge and completed a 2-0 season sweep in 2025-26. Jaylen Brown averaged 31 points per game against the Lakers, outpacing Austin Reaves in head-to-head matchups despite Reaves’ higher season average.
Shooting efficiency comparison
The data below breaks down how each team performed in key shooting categories across the 2025-26 season series.
Metric
Celtics Dec 5
Lakers Dec 5
Celtics Feb 22
Lakers Feb 22
Field Goal %
55% (46-84)
43% (33-77)
48% (40-83)
39% (34-87)
3-Point %
53% (24-45)
40% (14-35)
39% (14-36)
30% (9-30)
Free Throw %
83% (10-12)
86% (25-29)
81% (17-21)
67% (12-18)
Turnovers
16
14
14
8
The pattern shows Boston’s offensive efficiency outpaced Los Angeles in both games, with the most significant gap appearing in three-point shooting during the December matchup.
What is the latest Boston Celtics vs Lakers box score?
The most recent completed game between these teams happened on February 22, 2026, with the Celtics defeating the Lakers 111-89 at Crypto.com Arena. Boston dominated from start to finish, building a 54-41 halftime lead and never letting Los Angeles back into the contest. Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 32 points, adding eight rebounds and seven assists in a performance that showed exactly why he’s become Boston’s go-to option in big games.
The upshot
The 111-89 final score reflects a 22-point blowout, but the game felt even more lopsided. The Lakers shot just 39% from the field and committed 14 turnovers, while the Celtics connected at 48% with balanced scoring across the roster.
Dec 5 2025 game stats
The December 5, 2025 game at TD Garden produced a 126-105 Celtics victory. Jaylen Brown posted 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists in that contest. Payton Pritchard contributed significantly off the bench, providing the Celtics with the depth they needed to pull away. The Lakers struggled without their two best players, shooting just 43% from the field and 40% from three-point range.
Top performers
Jaylen Brown averaged 31 points across the two 2025-26 meetings with the Lakers. In the December game, he shot efficiently from the field and controlled the glass. By February, he’d elevated his performance to 32 points on slightly better efficiency. For the Lakers, Austin Reaves led the way with 36 points in December, but the team lacked the supporting cast to compete when their stars were missing.
Team shooting and rebounding
The Celtics owned the glass in both games, finishing with more rebounds than the Lakers in each meeting. Boston’s ball movement created open looks, resulting in 46 made field goals in December and 40 in February. The Lakers, by contrast, struggled to generate second-chance opportunities and often settled for contested shots in the closing minutes when deficits grew too large.
TL;DR: Jaylen Brown posted 30 and 32 points across the two games. Boston won both matchups decisively, with the February 22 game ending 111-89 at Crypto.com Arena.
What are Boston Celtics vs Lakers match player stats?
Here’s how the key players performed across the 2025-26 season series. The stats come from ESPN game summaries and box scores, with verified figures for the most recent matchups.
Player
Team
Points
Rebounds
Assists
Date
Jaylen Brown
Celtics
32
8
7
Feb 22, 2026
Jaylen Brown
Celtics
30
8
8
Dec 5, 2025
Jayson Tatum
Celtics
40
12
8
Mar 8, 2025
Austin Reaves
Lakers
36
—
—
Dec 5, 2025
Luka Doncic
Lakers
25
—
—
Feb 22, 2026
Anthony Davis
Lakers
24
—
—
Jan 23, 2025
Lakers key players
LeBron James and Luka Doncic represent the Lakers’ core, but both missed the December 5 matchup with injuries. Their absence showed in the box score — Los Angeles had no answer for Boston’s perimeter shooting and couldn’t generate enough offense without their two primary scorers. When healthy, both players are capable of changing a game’s outcome single-handedly, which makes the December loss particularly frustrating for Lakers fans.
Celtics standout performances
Jaylen Brown emerged as the Celtics’ most reliable performer against the Lakers. His 30-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist game on December 5 demonstrated his ability to affect winning in multiple ways. By February, he’d refined his approach, scoring 32 points with improved efficiency. Jayson Tatum’s 40-point outburst against the Lakers in March 2025 remains the highest individual performance in recent rivalry history.
Stat leaders from recent games
The Celtics’ shooting percentages tell the story of their dominance: 55% from the field and 53% from three in December, followed by 48% and 39% in February. The Lakers never cracked 43% from the field in either game. Boston also won the turnover battle in February (14 vs 8), converting Lakers mistakes into easy transition points that broke the game open early.
TL;DR: Jaylen Brown averaged 31 points across the two 2025-26 games. Boston dominated shooting efficiency in both matchups, with the December game showing the largest gap (55% vs 43% field goal percentage).
Who is the greatest Boston Celtic player of all time?
Bill Russell stands alone as the greatest Celtic of all time, with 11 championship rings that define his legacy. No player in NBA history has won more titles than Russell, who anchored Boston’s frontcourt during the 1950s and 1960s. His defensive presence and leadership transformed the Celtics into a dynasty that won eight consecutive championships from 1959 to 1966.
Why this matters
Russell averaged 15.1 points and 22.5 rebounds across 13 seasons, but his impact went far beyond the box score. He revolutionized team defense and proved that basketball was a sport where intelligence and unselfishness could dominate raw athleticism.
Bill Russell achievements
Beyond his 11 championships, Russell earned five MVP awards, 12 All-Star selections, and 11 All-NBA Team honors. He was the first African American player to become a head coach in the NBA, taking the Celtics to two more titles while serving as player-coach. His career averages of 22.5 rebounds per game still rank second all-time, behind only Wilt Chamberlain.
Stats in rivalry games
Against the Lakers specifically, Russell faced off against legends like Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain. In the 1960s, Celtics-Lakers matchups in the NBA Finals were common, with Russell’s Celtics winning multiple series against the Minneapolis and Los Angeles franchises. The rivalry was born from those battles, creating the foundation for everything that followed.
Rings and impact
The 11 rings aren’t just numbers — they represent sustained excellence across more than a decade. Russell never missed the playoffs in his career, and he elevated every teammate who played alongside him. Modern Celtics stars like Brown and Tatum cite Russell as the standard against which all Boston players are measured.
TL;DR: Bill Russell’s 11 championships and revolutionary defense established the standard for Celtics greatness. Modern stars like Jaylen Brown cite Russell as the benchmark for Boston players.
What is the Celtics vs Lakers rivalry history?
The Celtics-Lakers rivalry began in the late 1950s when Bill Russell’s Boston teams faced George Mikan’s Lakers in the Finals. Over the decades, the matchup evolved from Russell vs. Baylor to Havlicek vs. West to Bird vs. Johnson to today’s Brown vs. James. Through every era, the games have carried extra weight simply because of the names on the jerseys.
The catch
The Lakers have won 17 championships overall, the Celtics 18 — making this the closest championship gap between any two franchises in NBA history. When these teams meet, they’re not just playing for a regular-season win; they’re playing for something that stretches back generations.
Historic matchups
The rivalry reached its peak in the 1980s when Larry Bird and Magic Johnson turned Celtics-Lakers games into national events. Their Finals battles in 1984 and 1987 are still remembered as some of the greatest in basketball history. The physicality, the drama, and the stakes made every possession matter in ways that still influence how fans approach these matchups today.
Player legacies
Kobe Bryant’s 81-point game against the Toronto Raptors drew attention, but his battles with Paul Pierce and the Celtics defined his later career. Kevin Garnett brought a new intensity when he arrived in Boston, and his defensive presence made the Celtics a legitimate title threat again. Today, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James carry the rivalry forward, adding their chapters to a story that began before most current fans were born.
Recent trends
The Celtics have won seven of the last ten meetings, including both 2025-26 games. The Lakers’ 117-96 win on January 23, 2025, showed they can compete when healthy, but the two December and February losses suggest Boston has closed the gap. With both teams likely playoff-bound, the rivalry may produce more high-stakes meetings before the season ends.
TL;DR: The Celtics-Lakers rivalry spans decades with Boston winning 169-135 all-time. The current era sees Jaylen Brown leading Boston against LeBron James and the Lakers, with Boston holding the recent advantage.
Rivalry timeline
Date
Result
Key Stat
Lakers 117-96 Celtics
Anthony Davis 24 PTS
Celtics 111-101 Lakers
Jayson Tatum 40 PTS
Celtics 126-105 Lakers
Jaylen Brown 30 PTS, 8 REB, 8 AST
Celtics 111-89 Lakers
Jaylen Brown 32 PTS; season sweep
What we know for certain
Celtics swept 2025-26 series with 126-105 and 111-89 wins (ESPN team comparison)
Jaylen Brown averaged 31 points in both games against the Lakers (ESPN game summary)
Lakers were without LeBron James and Luka Doncic on Dec 5, 2025 (ESPN recap)
All-time series: Celtics lead 169-135 (ESPN)
What’s still unclear
How the December result might have differed with a full Lakers roster
Whether Tatum’s injury status affected his limited contribution on Dec 5
What analysts are saying
Jaylen Brown had 32 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, and the Boston Celtics swept the season series in the NBA’s most storied rivalry with a 111-89 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night.
— Associated Press game report via ESPN
Jaylen Brown had 30 points, eight rebounds and eight assists and the Boston Celtics cruised past Los Angeles 126-105 on Friday night, with the Lakers playing without LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
— Associated Press game report via ESPN
Jayson Tatum had 40 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, and the Boston Celtics held off a late rally to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 111-101 on Saturday.
What was the score of the last Boston Celtics vs Lakers game?
The most recent game on February 22, 2026 ended with the Celtics winning 111-89 over the Lakers at Crypto.com Arena.
Who were the top scorers in Celtics vs Lakers Dec 2025?
Jaylen Brown led all scorers with 30 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. Austin Reaves contributed 36 points for the Lakers in that loss.
What is the all-time record between Celtics and Lakers?
The Celtics lead the all-time series 169-135, including wins in both 2025-26 season matchups.
When is the next Celtics vs Lakers matchup?
The next scheduled matchup was February 22, 2026, which the Celtics won 111-89. Check current NBA schedules for future games.
What are LeBron James stats vs Celtics?
LeBron missed the December 5, 2025 game due to injury. When healthy, he typically averages between 25-30 points against Boston.
How did Jaylen Brown perform against Lakers?
Brown averaged 31 points across the two 2025-26 games, posting 30 points on December 5 and 32 points on February 22. He added 16 total rebounds and 15 total assists across both games.
What sites provide Celtics vs Lakers player stats?
ESPN provides official game summaries and box scores for all Celtics-Lakers matchups. NBA.com and team-specific pages on ESPN offer additional statistical breakdowns.
For Lakers fans watching the standings, the message is clear: the roster needs to stay healthy when facing the Celtics, because Boston has the depth and shooting to punish even small lapses. For Celtics supporters, the sweep confirms that Brown has emerged as the go-to performer in big rivalry moments, and the supporting cast gives Boston options when opponents try to load up on defense.
