Game ID: 22500338
Los Angeles Lakers @ Boston Celtics
Friday, December 5, 2025 at 7:00 PM ET
TD Garden, Boston, MA
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
BOS 39 30 28 29 126LAL 17 29 36 23 105
BOS vs LAL ScoutingBOS vs LAL Scouting
Welcome to the scouting desk. The coffee is cold, the film is play-by-play, and somebody has to explain what happened.
Every game has a hinge — a stretch where it was decided, usually while everyone was watching something else. Start where the evidence lives: the Lineups' face-offs say which five actually won their minutes; the Possessions ledger says who ran ahead of the night's own pace; the Shot Chart says where the points really came from, which is rarely where the highlights were. When all three agree, that is the story. When they don't — that is why this desk has a chair.
BOS availability going into 11/29 · 2 days' restBACK González back 11/21 after 2, 7 min since (49% of 14)
BACK Boucher back 11/23 after 3, 14 min since (136% of 10)
NEW Walsh 17 to 24 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 11/30 · back-to-backOUT Boucher missed 2 since 11/26, out tonight
BACK González back 11/21 after 2, 7 min since (49% of 14)
BOS availability going into 12/02 · 1 day's restOUT Boucher missed 3 since 11/26, out tonight
BACK González back 11/21 after 2, 7 min since (50% of 14)
NEW Walsh 17 to 27 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 12/04 · 1 day's restOUT Garza missed 2 since 11/30, returns tonight: 8 min (53% of 16)
OUT Boucher missed 4 since 11/26, out tonight
NEW Walsh 17 to 26 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 12/05 · back-to-backOUT Boucher missed 5 since 11/26, out tonight
BACK Garza back 12/04 after 2, 8 min since (53% of 16)
NEW Walsh 17 to 27 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 12/07 · 1 day's restOUT Boucher missed 6 since 11/26, out tonight
BACK Garza back 12/04 after 2, 5 min since (34% of 16)
NEW Walsh 17 to 27 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 12/11 · 3 days' restOUT Boucher missed 7 since 11/26, out tonight
BACK Garza back 12/04 after 2, 5 min since (34% of 16)
NEW Walsh 17 to 28 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 12/15 · 3 days' restOUT Garza missed 2 since 12/07, out tonight
OUT Boucher missed 8 since 11/26, out tonight
NEW Walsh 17 to 27 min over the last 5
BOS availability going into 12/19 · 3 days' restOUT Garza missed 3 since 12/07, out tonight
OUT Boucher missed 9 since 11/26, out tonight
NEW Walsh 17 to 26 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 11/28 · 2 days' restOUT Vanderbilt missed 3 since 11/18, out tonight
OUT Smith Jr. missed 3 since 11/18, out tonight
BACK Vincent back 11/18 after 11, 18 min since (94% of 19)
LAL availability going into 11/30 · 1 day's restOUT Vanderbilt missed 4 since 11/18, out tonight
OUT Smith Jr. missed 4 since 11/18, out tonight
BACK Vincent back 11/18 after 11, 19 min since (100% of 19)
LAL availability going into 12/01 · back-to-backOUT Smart missed 2 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 5 since 11/18, out tonight
OUT Smith Jr. missed 5 since 11/18, returns tonight: 6 min (52% of 11)
BACK Vincent back 11/18 after 11, 20 min since (105% of 19)
LAL availability going into 12/04 · 2 days' restOUT Smart missed 3 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 6 since 11/18, out tonight
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 6 min since (52% of 11)
LAL availability going into 12/05 · back-to-backOUT Smart missed 4 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 7 since 11/18, out tonight
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 10 min since (92% of 11)
LAL availability going into 12/07 · 1 day's restOUT Dončić missed 2 since 12/04, returns tonight: 39 min (109% of 36)
OUT Smart missed 5 since 11/28, out tonight
OUT Vanderbilt missed 8 since 11/18, returns tonight: 3 min (19% of 17)
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 14 min since (133% of 11)
NEW Vincent 19 to 24 min over the last 5
LAL availability going into 12/10 · 2 days' restOUT Smart missed 6 since 11/28, returns tonight: 28 min (96% of 29)
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 39 min since (109% of 36)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 3 min since (19% of 17)
BACK Smith Jr. back 12/01 after 5, 14 min since (133% of 11)
LAL availability going into 12/14 · 3 days' restOUT Smith Jr. missed 2 since 12/07, out tonight
OUT Kleber missed 2 since 12/07, out tonight
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 40 min since (112% of 36)
BACK Smart back 12/10 after 6, 28 min since (96% of 29)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 3 min since (19% of 17)
LAL availability going into 12/18 · 3 days' restOUT Smith Jr. missed 3 since 12/07, returns tonight: 5 min (49% of 11)
OUT Kleber missed 3 since 12/07, returns tonight: 19 min (184% of 10)
BACK Dončić back 12/07 after 2, 39 min since (110% of 36)
BACK Smart back 12/10 after 6, 30 min since (102% of 29)
BACK Vanderbilt back 12/07 after 8, 9 min since (54% of 17)
I Know — the desk, before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 124 a night and allowing 113, shooting 50 percent and 38 from three, 21 free throws a game; Brown at 34 and White at 24 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Second night of a back-to-back. The Lakers come in 4-1 over their last five, scoring 126 a night and allowing 121, shooting 53 percent and 43 from three, 26 free throws a game; Dončić at 38 and Reaves at 32 a game. Without Smart (4 straight), Vanderbilt (7 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the defense, Boston allowing 113 a night to the Lakers' 121 and the line, where the Lakers take 26 free throws a game to Boston's 21. Call it Boston 120, the Lakers 116, the Lakers keeping it close.
11/29 @ MIN 115-119 — BOS notes
BOS lost 115-119. BOS took 13 more shots (96 to 83), fed by 14 offensive rebounds, but shot 47% to MIN's 49%, 16 of 46 from three. Brown led with 41 (17 of 32, 5 of 11 from three); Queta added 19, White 16. Q2 was theirs, 33-27, but the other 3 periods went 92-82 against them. They led by as many as 12. Scheierman's -13 in 14 minutes was the worst on the floor.
11/30 @ CLE 117-115 — BOS notes
BOS won 117-115. BOS shot 49% (40 of 81) to CLE's 46%, 14 of 40 from three, and went to the line 29 times to CLE's 13 — 23 points from the stripe to their 9. Pritchard led with 42 (15 of 22, 6 of 11 from three, 6 of 6 at the line); Brown added 19, Simons 18. The hinge was Q2, 30-25: a lead of 2 became 7, and the lead reached 21.
12/02 vs NYK 123-117 — BOS notes
BOS won 123-117. BOS shot 56% (49 of 87) to NYK's 51%, 13 of 40 from three. Brown led with 42 (16 of 24, 2 of 6 from three, 8 of 9 at the line); White added 22, Simons 12. The hinge was Q2, 37-20: BOS came in trailing by 11 and left it ahead by 6, and the lead reached 18. Brown was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
12/04 @ WAS 146-101 — BOS notes
BOS won 146-101. BOS shot 55% (54 of 99) to WAS's 42%, 20 of 47 from three. BOS turned it over 9 times to WAS's 18. White led with 30 (12 of 21, 5 of 12 from three); Walsh added 22, Pritchard 20. The hinge was Q4, 37-15: a lead of 23 became 45. Scheierman was the night's best plus/minus at +42.
12/05 vs LAL 126-105 — BOS notes
BOS won 126-105. BOS shot 55% (46 of 84) to LAL's 43%, 24 of 45 from three, and got to the line 12 times to LAL's 29. Brown led with 30 (10 of 22, 3 of 7 from three, 7 of 9 at the line); White added 19, Walsh 17. The hinge was Q1, 39-17: from level to 22 ahead, and the lead reached 29. Walsh was the night's best plus/minus at +28.
12/07 @ TOR — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Toronto comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 117, shooting 45 percent and 34 from three, 18 free throws a game; Barnes at 22 and Quickley at 22 a game. Without Barrett (7 straight), Agbaji (2 straight). One day's rest. Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 125 a night and allowing 111, shooting 52 percent and 40 from three, 18 free throws a game; Brown at 33 and White at 22 a game. That is 4 straight wins. It has won the glass by 5 a night. One day's rest.
So: Boston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the turnovers, Toronto giving it away 17 times a game to Boston's 12 and the glass, where Boston has been plus-5 a night and Toronto minus-1. Call it Boston 117, Toronto 112.
12/11 @ MIL — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Milwaukee comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 114 a night and allowing 115, shooting 49 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Porter Jr. at 24 and Gia. Antetokounmpo at 19 a game. It has lost the glass by 4 a night. Without Gia. Antetokounmpo (2 straight), Prince (17 straight). 4 days' rest. Boston comes in 5-0 over its last five, scoring 127 a night and allowing 110, shooting 53 percent and 42 from three, 18 free throws a game; Brown at 30 and White at 24 a game. That is 5 straight wins. 3 days' rest.
So: Boston wins, on the road, and the game turns on the glass, where Boston has been plus-4 a night and Milwaukee minus-4 and the line, where Milwaukee takes 24 free throws a game to Boston's 18. Call it Boston 118, Milwaukee 114, Milwaukee keeping it close.
12/15 vs DET — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 123 a night and allowing 110, shooting 50 percent and 40 from three, 17 free throws a game; Brown at 33 and White at 22 a game. Without Garza (2 straight). 3 days' rest. Detroit comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 119 a night and allowing 111, shooting 48 percent and 35 from three, 31 free throws a game; Cunningham at 20 and Duren at 15 a game. That is 3 straight wins. It has won the glass by 8 a night. 2 days' rest.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the line, where Detroit takes 31 free throws a game to Boston's 17 and the arc, Boston at 40 percent from three to Detroit's 35. Call it Boston 117, Detroit 114, Detroit keeping it close.
12/19 vs MIA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Boston comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 109, shooting 49 percent and 39 from three, 20 free throws a game; Brown at 31 and White at 24 a game. Without Garza (3 straight). 3 days' rest. Miami comes in 1-4 over its last five, scoring 105 a night and allowing 110, shooting 46 percent and 30 from three, 24 free throws a game; Powell at 22 and Jaquez Jr. at 16 a game. Without Herro (2 straight), Larsson (2 straight). Second night of a back-to-back.
So: Boston wins, and the game turns on the arc, Boston at 39 percent from three to Miami's 30. Call it Boston 118, Miami 109.
11/28 vs DAL 129-119 — LAL notes
LAL won 129-119. LAL shot 59% (45 of 76) to DAL's 48%, 18 of 35 from three, and went to the line 26 times to DAL's 20 — 21 points from the stripe to their 17. Reaves led with 38 (12 of 15, 6 of 8 from three, 8 of 9 at the line); Dončić added 35, Ayton 17. The hinge was Q1, 28-22: from level to 6 ahead. LAL trailed 60-62 at the half and won the second half 69-57. Ayton was the night's best plus/minus at +18.
11/30 vs NOP 133-121 — LAL notes
LAL won 133-121. LAL shot 48% (42 of 87) to NOP's 51%, 15 of 41 from three, and went to the line 39 times to NOP's 20 — 34 points from the stripe to their 16. Dončić led with 34 (9 of 22, 4 of 12 from three, 12 of 14 at the line); Reaves added 33, Ayton 22. The hinge was Q1, 46-27: from level to 19 ahead, and the lead reached 26. Vincent was the night's best plus/minus at +15.
12/01 vs PHX 108-125 — LAL notes
LAL lost 108-125. LAL shot 51% (41 of 80) to PHX's 57%, 13 of 33 from three, and went to the line 15 times to PHX's 8 — 13 points from the stripe to their 4. LAL turned it over 21 times to PHX's 11, and PHX turned those into 16 steals. Dončić led with 38 (15 of 26, 3 of 8 from three); Reaves added 16, Knecht 13. Q4 was theirs, 31-29, the deficit cut from 19 to 17, but the other 3 periods went 96-77 against them. Dončić's -25 in 32 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/04 @ TOR 123-120 — LAL notes
LAL won 123-120. LAL shot 50% (44 of 88) to TOR's 49%, 13 of 31 from three. Reaves led with 44 (13 of 21, 5 of 11 from three, 13 of 15 at the line); Ayton added 17, LaRavia 14. The hinge was Q1, 31-26: from level to 5 ahead. Reaves was the night's best plus/minus at +6.
12/05 @ BOS 105-126 — LAL notes
LAL lost 105-126. LAL shot 43% (33 of 77) to BOS's 55%, 14 of 35 from three, and went to the line 29 times to BOS's 12 — 25 points from the stripe to their 10. Reaves led with 36 (9 of 18, 3 of 8 from three, 15 of 17 at the line); Vincent added 18, Hachimura 13. Q3 was theirs, 36-28, the deficit cut from 23 to 15, but the other 3 periods went 98-69 against them. Vincent's -20 in 30 minutes was the worst on the floor.
12/07 @ PHI — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Philadelphia comes in 4-1 over its last five, scoring 117 a night and allowing 109, shooting 46 percent and 32 from three, 22 free throws a game; Maxey at 30 and Grimes at 20 a game. That is 3 straight wins. Without Oubre Jr. (10 straight), Watford (5 straight). One day's rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 120 a night and allowing 122, shooting 50 percent and 42 from three, 27 free throws a game; Dončić at 36 and Reaves at 33 a game. Without Dončić (2 straight), Smart (5 straight), Vanderbilt (8 straight). One day's rest.
So: Philadelphia wins, and the game turns on the arc, the Lakers at 42 percent from three to Philadelphia's 32 and the defense, Philadelphia allowing 109 a night to the Lakers' 122. Call it Philadelphia 120, the Lakers 114.
12/10 vs SAS — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 116 a night and allowing 120, shooting 48 percent and 39 from three, 27 free throws a game; Dončić at 34 and Reaves at 28 a game. Without Smart (6 straight). 2 days' rest. San Antonio comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 124, shooting 48 percent and 38 from three, 25 free throws a game; Fox at 25 and Vassell at 16 a game. Without Wembanyama (11 straight). One day's rest.
So: The Lakers win, in a game with no one edge to lean on. Call it the Lakers 120, San Antonio 117, San Antonio keeping it close.
12/14 @ PHX — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Phoenix comes in 2-3 over its last five, scoring 106 a night and allowing 120, shooting 45 percent and 32 from three, 18 free throws a game; Brooks at 23 and Gillespie at 15 a game. It has lost the glass by 6 a night. Without Booker (3 straight), Green (15 straight). 3 days' rest. The Lakers come in 2-3 over their last five, scoring 113 a night and allowing 122, shooting 48 percent and 40 from three, 24 free throws a game; Dončić at 35 and Reaves at 24 a game. 3 days' rest.
So: Phoenix wins, and the game turns on the arc, the Lakers at 40 percent from three to Phoenix's 32 and the line, where the Lakers take 24 free throws a game to Phoenix's 18. Call it Phoenix 116, the Lakers 115, the Lakers keeping it close.
12/18 @ UTA — I Know, the desk before tip-off
Written before tip-off, from the five games each side brought in.
Utah comes in 3-2 over its last five, scoring 121 a night and allowing 129, shooting 47 percent and 38 from three, 26 free throws a game; Markkanen at 27 and George at 26 a game. Without Kessler (20 straight), Harkless (11 straight), Tshiebwe (25 straight). 2 days' rest. The Lakers come in 3-2 over their last five, scoring 115 a night and allowing 120, shooting 47 percent and 36 from three, 30 free throws a game; Dončić at 32 and Reaves at 26 a game. 3 days' rest.
So: The Lakers win, on the road, and the game turns on the defense, the Lakers allowing 120 a night to Utah's 129 and the glass, where the Lakers have been plus-0 a night and Utah minus-4. Call it the Lakers 121, Utah 120, Utah keeping it close.
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
LALAR A. Reaves
AT A. Thiero
BJ B. James
DA D. Ayton
DK D. Knecht
DT D. Timme
GV G. Vincent
JH J. Hayes
JL J. LaRavia
MK M. Kleber
NS N. Smith Jr.
RH R. Hachimura
BOSAS A. Simons
BS B. Scheierman
DW D. White
HG H. González
JB J. Brown
JM J. Minott
JW J. Walsh
LG L. Garza
NQ N. Queta
PP P. Pritchard
SH S. Hauser
XT X. Tillman
LAL/BOS the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
END the clock ran out, ball in hand
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur
Brown scores 30 points, Celtics cruise to 126-105 win over Lakers team missing James, Doncic
BOSTON -- — 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 .
Derrick White had five 3-pointers and added 19 points, and Jordan Walsh finished with 17 points for the Celtics, who have won four straight and six out of seven. Boston hit a season-high 24 3-pointers and had 31 assists.
The Lakers lost for just the second time in 10 games. James sat with sciatica, which kept him sidelined for the first 14 games this season, and left foot joint arthritis. Doncic was out for the second straight game for personal reasons.
Austin Reaves led Los Angeles with 36 points and eight assists. Gabe Vincent added 18 points.
With the game out of hand in the fourth quarter and his father looking on from the bench in street clothes, Bronny James checked in with 6:38 to play. He finished 2 of 3 from the field with five points and an assist in TD Garden debut. He didn't make the trip for the Lakers' visit to Boston last season.
Boston never trailed and led by 29 points in the second quarter.
The Lakers cut the deficit to 15 entering the fourth quarter, but the Celtics quickly got it back above 20 to end the threat.