The Los Angeles Lakers delivered a statement win over their historic arch-rivals, the Boston Celtics, solidifying their position in the playoff race. With a 117-98 victory, the Lakers maintained their grip on the 5th seed in the Western Conference,

The game was put to bed by the final minutes, which allowed Lakers head coach JJ Redick to empty out his bench. This allowed their No. 55 pick from the 2024 NBA Draft, Bronny James, to participate in the 11th game of his NBA career. James appeared for the last two minutes of the game; however, he did not record a single point.