The Boston Celtics beat the Los Angeles Lakers 126–115 on Monday, their first win since Christmas Day. Kristaps Porzingis scored 28 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Jayson Tatum scored 25 points.

Derrick White scored 18 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, and Jaylen Brown scored 19 points. The Celtics have won three in a row and 12 of their last 14 games. All five players scored at least 18 points.

LeBron James had 16 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, and Anthony Davis scored 40 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. However, the Lakers have lost six of their last eight games since winning the first In-Season Tournament.

When Jarred Vanderbilt sank a dunk early in the third quarter, it put Boston behind for the first time in the game. But they scored seven straight points to take back the lead. With 13 points, Porzingis helped give the Celtics a nine-point lead going into the fourth.

Even though Davis scored 40 points for the 40th time in a regular season game, Boston was able to keep Los Angeles at bay in the fourth quarter.

Brown’s 3-pointer was the last of the Celtics’ 12 points, giving them a lead of up to 18 points in the first quarter. They blew past the Lakers’ starting group.

Taurean Prince made some hot shots in the second that put Los Angeles back in the game. At halftime, the score was 58–57 because he made all four of his shots, including three 3s, for 11 points.

With 4:02 left in the second, Brown and James were hurt in a crash that scared both teams. Brown was cutting back to the ball when he slipped and pulled up, which let James knee him in the back. On the floor, care was given to every player except Brown, who went back to the locker room and came back to start the third quarter.

Both teams have a lot of history, and this was their third game on Christmas Day. In 1951, the Minneapolis Lakers beat the Boston Celtics, and in 2008, Los Angeles beat them.