Blowout victory for Boston

BOSTON • It was just three minutes into the final quarter when the Los Angeles Lakers admitted defeat at Boston's TD Garden on Monday night.

Down by 31 points to the Celtics, they rested star forwards LeBron James and Anthony Davis and the National Basketball Association (NBA) game was eventually lost 139-107.

"Listen, it was just a good, old-fashioned butt-whipping, that's all," said James, who scored 15 points and handed out 13 assists for Los Angeles, who remained at the top of the Western Conference on 34-9.

"They beat us in all facets of the game," added the 35-year-old, who said 15 Lakers turnovers leading to 28 Celtics points and Boston's 48-36 rebounding advantage were too much to overcome.

The Lakers had won 10 of their last 11 games before Monday, including four of five without the injured Davis. The Celtics, on the other hand, were on a three-game losing streak, having lost six of their last eight.

But the form book was turned upside down. Los Angeles fell to their worst defeat of the season. Their previous biggest loss was a 128-104 defeat by the Denver Nuggets on Dec 22.

JaVale McGee led the Lakers with 18 points, while Davis scored nine points on his return from a bruised backside.

Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 27 points, and Kemba Walker also returned from injury to add 20 for the Celtics, who improved to 28-14.

For Walker, it was a first career win against James. He had gone 0-28 against James-led teams.

"I have the utmost respect for LeBron and, you know, he's one of the greatest players of all time," the Celtics point guard said. "If there's a guy I couldn't beat, it'd be him. He's such a great player and has done so much in this league. It just feels good to win."

The Celtics outscored the visitors 36-25 in the second quarter and led by 14 at half-time. Jaylen Brown, who also had 20 points, Walker and Tatum came out firing to start the third quarter, and the lead surpassed 20, 88-66, on a Tatum three-pointer with 7min 11sec to go.

32 Margin of defeat by the Celtics is a season low for the Lakers, followed by the 128-104 home loss to the Denver Nuggets on Dec 22.

36 Rebounds for the Lakers, a season low as well.

The lead was 27 when they reached 100 points on a Semi Ojeleye trey. And the "Beat LA" chants rained down from the crowd in a season when the NBA's most-storied rivalry has became relevant again, with the Lakers revived after failing to make the play-offs for six straight seasons.

Their advantage topped 30 on a Tatum three-point play with 9:12 left, and Los Angeles waved the white flag soon after, pulling James and Davis.

Davis admitted that it was a bad night for the Lakers.

He said: "They were more physical. They basically did whatever they wanted the whole night and we didn't respond. We can't afford to do that, especially on the road, against a team like this - against any team."

In Utah, Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points, and Rudy Gobert added 20 points and 14 rebounds as the Jazz beat Indiana 118-88, snapping the Pacers' five-game winning streak.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS