2. Boston heartbreaker
This was a game that turned out to be extra sweet.
Coming literally on the day of what had been a frantic and drama-filled trade deadline, the Lakers walked into Boston in the eyes of many people as a distracted team.
With many narratives going around about how will LeBron play post-injury. How will the young core feel about almost being traded? Will the Lakers still make the playoffs? It seemed like the focus was on everything but the ensuing game ahead.
And it really didn’t help that the Lakers yet again dug themselves in a hole by going down by as many as 18 points in the first half.
One of the smaller headlines going into the game was the return of Rajon Rondo, who spent the first nine years of his career with the Celtics and was now returning to his former home as a member of one of the Celtics greatest rivals.
Little did Boston fans think that the distraction surrounding the Lakers would dissolve itself for just one night. Rondo completed the Lakers 18-point comeback by hitting the game-winning shot at the buzzer to defeat the Celtics 129-128.
LeBron James recorded yet another triple-double scoring 28 points with 12 rebounds and 12 assists, while Kyle Kuzma chipped in 25 points.
Despite how you felt about the Lakers not getting Anthony Davis at the deadline, this game provided a nice distraction from the drama and distractions that became all too familiar with the Lakers.