Last week, the Boston Celtics opened a four-game trip to California by losing a lead against the Golden State Warriors, bringing up sad memories of late-game problems that ruined recent postseason runs.

Since then, Boston has left no doubt, sweeping the Sacramento Kings and Los Angeles Clippers before destroying the Los Angeles Lakers’ Christmas with a decisive 126-115 win on Monday.

The Celtics used the holiday season to establish themselves as the NBA’s top team and the favorites to win the 2024 championship by taking control of their archrivals at Crypto.com Arena. Boston advanced to a league-best 23-6 record, displaying improved balance following a splashy offseason that included trades for Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. All five Celtics starters scored in double figures, and they outlasted the Lakers (16-15) in the second half with suffocating defense.

Thanks to the league’s most talented starting lineup, the new-and-improved Celtics are third in offensive efficiency, fifth in defensive efficiency, and second in point differential. Even when star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown struggle from the field, as they did Monday, Boston can score in volume, and its defense has size, athleticism, length, and plenty of postseason experience.

“We expected to be good,” Tatum admitted. “We understand what our ultimate goal is. We’ve all figured out how to play the game. It was only a matter of time before we started laughing. We’ve been playing fantastically well… Since I’ve been with the Celtics, we haven’t had a low-post presence like [Porzingis]. He causes so many issues for opposing defenses.”

Monday exemplified Boston’s ability to develop effective counters and supplemental alternatives. Despite being questioned about their reliance on the three-point shot, the Celtics went 13 for 42 (31 percent) from deep and still won thanks to a varied attack that applied constant pressure to the Lakers’ interior defense and a defensive effort that kept the Los Angeles supporting cast in check.

Porzingis, who had a team-high 28 points and 11 rebounds, displayed his midrange game as well as his ability to finish near the rim. Derrick White had 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists to go with several critical defensive stops down the line, while Holiday had 18 points, seven rebounds, and seven assists.

“We’re like a really powerful engine,” said Porzingis. “All we have is that margin. If the threes had fallen tonight, we would have had a plus-20 or plus-25 game. We’ve begun to run more and spend more time in transition. We become even more dangerous when we flee.”

Boston aimed to spoil the highlight of the NBA’s Christmas quintuple-header from the outset, jumping to a 12-0 lead in the first three minutes. The Celtics expanded their lead to 18 points before the first quarter finished, moving the ball ahead of a sluggish Lakers defense.

“We came back a little lethargic,” Lakers Coach Darvin Ham remarked, referring to his team’s previous six road games. “Because of the Christmas circumstances [and] an early game, it took us a little while to get going.” We have a lot of work ahead of us. It’s not so much our talent as it is our competition. We can’t afford to ignore the nuances. The details must not tire us.”

During a second quarter marred by injuries and controversy, Los Angeles clawed its way back into the game. Brown fell near midcourt as he tried to shake loose for a pass with four minutes left in the half and was rear-ended by Lakers star LeBron James. Brown favored his lower back while James grabbed his left knee during a lengthy stretch on the court. The scene silenced a festive building and brought back memories of James’ groin injury against the Golden State Warriors on Christmas Eve 2018.

Brown departed Boston’s bench area and sat out the remainder of the half before reentering to start the third quarter; James left the game but returned after a brief break.

James made it obvious that he was unaffected by the incident by soaring for a chase-down block of Tatum. James was penalized for a foul, which prompted a coach’s challenge. The officials determined that while James had cleanly blocked Tatum, Lakers forward Taurean Prince had committed a foul during the action. The judgment put Tatum near the foul line, prompting boos from the home crowd.

Despite the injury concern and the missed highlight block, the Lakers cut the Celtics’ lead to one at halftime and seized their first lead shortly after the break when James made a jump hook.

Anthony Davis was the Lakers’ driving force, scoring 40 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing out four assists. However, the Lakers were unable to break through Boston’s switching defense as the Celtics established themselves in the third quarter.

“They were just clicking on all cylinders,” Davis explained. “Our turnovers and transition game cost us tonight.” They make you pay for it against a team like that, the top team in the league.”

Ja Morant returns to a basketball world willing to award him atonement.

Boston’s defensive scheme used Holiday and Brown to harass James while deploying the 7-foot-2 Porzingis as a help defender near the rim. Despite Davis’ dominance, James finished with 16 points, a season low, to go with nine rebounds and eight assists. With roughly three minutes remaining and the game over for Boston, the four-time MVP pulled out, dropping Los Angeles to 2-6 since winning the inaugural in-season championship.

“I don’t think we’re where we want to be to compete versus the top teams until we continue to get better and better,” he said. “Right now, my knee is a little sore. The best part is that the scheduling is finally in our favor, with two days until we have to play again. Just a strange play between me and Jaylen Brown there – glad I was able to walk off on my own power.”

Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 38 points to lead the New York Knicks to a 129-122 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Christmas Eve, avenging three head-to-head losses this season. Milwaukee studs Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard each scored 32 points, but the Bucks, who are likely the Celtics’ strongest threat in the Eastern Conference, had no answers for Brunson and gave up 72 points in the paint.

The Golden State Warriors were defeated by the Denver Nuggets, 120-114, in a choppy and over-officiated game in which Nikola Jokic and Stephen Curry struggled from the floor. Jamal Murray led Denver to its fifth straight victory with a game-high 28 points, including back-to-back clutch baskets in the final four minutes. However, this was not a standout effort for the defending champions, who enter Tuesday as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference, two games behind the Minnesota Timberwolves.

When studs Joel Embiid and Jimmy Butler were ruled out due to injuries, an evening game between the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat lost its relevance for championship purposes. With a heel ailment, Dallas Mavericks player Kyrie Irving was ruled out of the nightcap against the Phoenix Suns.

Boston was the overwhelming winner on an unusually dull day of basketball.

“A four-game road trip on the West Coast presents different challenges,” stated Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla. “We started 3-1, and even though we lost, we were playing good basketball on both ends of the court.” It will not always be flawless. We came in with the goal of redefining our attack in terms of off-ball activity and execution. That’s what I thought we did. I think we kept our defensive persona as well. This time of year is all about establishing and maintaining our identity.”