PREVIEW: The Boston Celtics travel to Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, February 22 at 3:30 PM ET to face the Los Angeles Lakers , setting up a matchup between two Eastern and Western Conference heavyweights competing for playoff positioning. Boston enters as the second seed in the East with a 36-19 record while Los Angeles sits fifth in the West at 34-21 , making this a standings game with significant implications down the stretch. The Celtics rank first defensively in preventing quality three-point attempts while maintaining the second-best turnover rate in basketball , showcasing a disciplined approach that limits easy scoring opportunities. Fresh off a 121-110 victory over Golden State, Boston looks to continue momentum against a Lakers team coming off a 125-122 win over the Clippers. Los Angeles counters with elite rim-attacking efficiency ranking first in the league and posting a 0.319 free throw rate , threatening to overwhelm Boston's defensive structure through aggressive paint scoring. Luka Doncic's league-leading 33.0 points per game will test Jaylen Brown, who averages 29.2 points alongside strong two-way contributions , setting up a star-power showcase that could determine the game's outcome. The Celtics' high offensive spacing and volume three-point attempts rank second in the league, while Los Angeles ranks 28th in three-point attempts allowed , creating contrasting offensive philosophies that will clash throughout the evening. Boston edged Los Angeles 126-105 in their December meeting when both teams fielded less than full rosters , leaving plenty of intrigue as the season series concludes.