Lakers truck Celtics after Russell Westbrook sparks second-half surge

LOS ANGELES — Try to spell step-for-step with Russell Westbrook? You’d conscionable arsenic soon contention a bolt of lightning.

The infinitesimal Westbrook turned the corner, Josh Richardson was successful occupation – Anthony Davis hadn’t adjacent truly screened him arsenic overmuch arsenic fixed him 1 touch, but that was much than enough. The 33-year-old defender went supersonic, dunking with fury arsenic Richardson could lone leap successful helpless pursuit.

It was rather a infinitesimal successful this historical rivalry, with autochthonal L.A. lad Westbrook (24 points, 11 assists) yet getting his accidental to dispatch the Boston Celtics (13-12) portion donning the purple and gold. Westbrook’s energy, arsenic it has been for the past fewer weeks, was the quality connected Tuesday nighttime arsenic the Lakers (13-12) took complaint successful the 2nd fractional for a 117-102 victory.

The play has been an up-and-down odyssey for Westbrook arsenic overmuch arsenic his team, but he’s strung much of his beardown moments unneurotic arsenic the play has progressed. His 15 points successful the 3rd 4th – shooting 6 for 8 portion blitzing the overgarment – helped the Lakers plaything an 11-point vantage successful the play to instrumentality power of the game. In the past 7 games, Westbrook has averaged 10 points per 3rd quarter, by acold the champion people of the Lakers.

And Westbrook intelligibly enjoyed himself, mean-mugging, rocking the babe and – instantly aft his dunk connected Richardson – screaming for the sellout Staples Center assemblage to rise their voices.

“That’s who I am. That’s what I bring to the table,” helium said. “That’s what my teammates request from me. I privation to beryllium capable to stock my vigor and my tone with the remainder of the fans, the remainder of the satellite and person amusive portion doing it.”

After truthful galore stumbles to commencement the season, the triumph was a glimpse of the squad the Lakers person often proclaimed they tin be, yet person truthful seldom shown frankincense far. It was conscionable their 4th double-digit triumph of the season, and undisputedly the champion of the bunch.

LeBron James led the mode with 30 points, scoring 16 points successful the archetypal 4th alone. Celtics manager Ime Udoka had said pregame that his squad was astatine its champion by forcing the Lakers to people successful the halfcourt, but that seemingly didn’t relationship for James being rested aft 3 days betwixt games, capable to measurement into the lane with freight bid powerfulness and a fig skater’s finesse.

After a 9-for-23 crippled against the Clippers successful which James admitted that helium wasn’t prepared aft a little detention successful the NBA’s COVID-19 protocols, it was backmost to basics for the 36-year-old star, bullying a franchise he’s agelong formed a shadiness implicit successful his career. His layup successful the 4th quarter, followed successful abbreviated bid by a Malik Monk dunk, signaled that the rout was sealed.

“I’m arrogant of this squad today,” James said. “I’m arrogant of however we conscionable came with our mindset, had our hardhats connected from the beginning. And played a heck of a crippled from commencement to finish.”

The Lakers started small, opting to enactment Davis astatine halfway and reinserting defender Avery Bradley into the group. It was the aforesaid starting lineup that was blown retired successful Boston past month, but this clip it yielded amended results: The Lakers held the Celtics beneath 44% shooting, and coiled up making 12 much tract goals than their visitors.

Davis helped the Lakers wrestle a 17-rebound vantage connected the glass, finishing with a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double. While Robert Williams (13 points) seemed intent connected dunking connected Davis whenever helium entered the paint, the Boston halfway didn’t fare arsenic good connected the different extremity of the court, wherever the Lakers outscored the Celtics 66-42 successful the paint.

It wasn’t the commencement Davis wanted, however. He changeable conscionable 5 attempts earlier halftime, and portion the Lakers were up by 5 points astatine the break, Davis had scored conscionable 7 points and coughed up 3 turnovers. Teammates told him to shingle it off, truthful Davis focused connected his rebounding and defense.

“That truly what it was, conscionable coming retired and conscionable trying to bash the intangibles,” helium said. “Rebounding. Talking connected the antiaircraft end. Setting screens. Just trying to get guys unfastened and fto that play into my offense.”

No 1 got disconnected to a amended commencement than Tatum, who started 5 for 5 and scored the Celtics’ archetypal 14 points. The 23-year-old continued his penchant for large games successful L.A., taking connected immoderate defender successful one-on-one possessions arsenic the Lakers initially struggled for answers. Eventually, Westbrook caught an oculus for the matchup, hounding the Celtic helping connected immoderate possession helium could.

The maturation the Lakers had connected defense, manager Frank Vogel said, reflected the team’s volition to double-team less, but pass more.

“If our assistance is successful spot and aboriginal and talking, you springiness the feline connected the shot assurance to unit up,” helium said. “I thought we had a batch of bully sequences with Russell, with Talen (Horton-Tucker), with Avery, wherever those guys were gaining assurance due to the fact that of the assistance down them.”

The Lakers play 5 of their adjacent six games connected the road, opening with a back-to-back successful Memphis and Oklahoma City connected Thursday and Friday.

Westbrook didn’t spell truthful acold arsenic to deliberation the Lakers’ aboriginal turbulence is down them. But helium did look upbeat astir the upcoming stretch.

“I don’t cognize the blueprint; each I cognize is that we won,” helium said. “So, if that’s the blueprint, than hellhole yeah, winning is the blueprint.”