The Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Boston Celtics on Sunday night at their home arena in California, falling 111-89 and slipping to fifth place in the Western Conference standings. Luka Dončić, the Lakers’ star forward, had a challenging game, scoring 25 points with five rebounds, three assists, and one block over 33 minutes, but struggled with his shooting efficiency, making 9 of 22 field goal attempts and 4 of 7 from beyond the arc during the loss.
Reactions Across the NBA on Dončić’s Performance
Dončić’s effort drew mixed responses from around the basketball community. CelticsBlog pointed out,
Luka has 25 pts …and is a team worst -16 +/-
while Mark Medina of Athlon Sports observed,
A good chunk of Luka’s shots have barely grazed the front of the rim against the Celtics
. Online commentator BrickCenter commented,
Luka stays in the floor crying to the refs and give up a wide open layup 😭
. Skip Bayless highlighted the Celtics’ backcourt dominance, stating,
Payton Pritchard just punished a backcourt of Luka/LeBron/AR in Los Angeles.
Barstool Sports columnist Dan Greenberg added,
Jaylen has been able to read Luka like a book since the 2024 Finals
.
Statistical Overview and Season Context for Dončić and Lakers
This season, Luka Dončić is averaging 32.8 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.4 steals per game, with shooting percentages of 47.1% from the field and 35.5% from three-point range through 44 games. Despite Dončić’s individual success, the Lakers have experienced difficulties against top-tier opponents, including the Celtics, who dominated again in this matchup. According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin,
The Lakers lose big to the Celtics again, 111-89, after losing by 21 back in December in Boston. Luka 25 pts on 9-of-22 5 reb 3 ast; LeBron 20 pts on 9-of-21 5 ast 4 reb; Reaves 15 pts on 4-of-10. LAL shot 9-of-30 from 3 (30%). J.Brown (32p 8r 7a) & P.Pritchard (30p 8a) led BOS
.
Lakers’ Current Standings and Upcoming Schedule
With this loss, the Lakers’ record stands at 34-22 after 56 games, placing them as the fifth seed in the Western Conference. Their recent form shows a 6-4 record over the last ten games. They will aim to rebound when they host the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, where they hold a 16-11 record at home during the season. Analyst Jovan Buha noted,
Final: Celtics 111, Lakers 89 LA is blown out against another elite opponent. They’re 8-4 with the Big 3 — with the four losses coming against the four best teams they’ve played and all by double digits. They drop to 34-22 and No. 6 in the West. Up next: vs. ORL on Tuesday.
Celtics’ Position and Outlook After the Victory
The Celtics improved to 37-19 in 56 games, maintaining their spot as the second seed in the Eastern Conference. They are currently in the midst of a three-game winning streak and have won eight of their last ten matchups. Boston’s upcoming game takes place on Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns in Arizona, where they will look to extend their strong run against a competitive Western Conference team.
Luka has 25 pts
…and is a team worst -16 +/-— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) February 23, 2026
A good chunk of Luka's shots have barely grazed the front of the rim against the Celtics
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) February 23, 2026
Luka stays in the floor crying to the refs and give up a wide open layup 😭 pic.twitter.com/XsFNF7tCIx
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) February 23, 2026
Payton Pritchard just punished a backcourt of Luka/LeBron/AR in Los Angeles.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) February 23, 2026
Jaylen has been able to read Luka like a book since the 2024 Finals
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) February 23, 2026
The Lakers lose big to the Celtics again, 111-89, after losing by 21 back in December in Boston. Luka 25 pts on 9-of-22 5 reb 3 ast; LeBron 20 pts on 9-of-21 5 ast 4 reb; Reaves 15 pts on 4-of-10. LAL shot 9-of-30 from 3 (30%). J.Brown (32p 8r 7a) & P.Pritchard (30p 8a) led BOS
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) February 23, 2026
Final: Celtics 111, Lakers 89
LA is blown out against another elite opponent. They're 8-4 with the Big 3 — with the four losses coming against the four best teams they've played and all by double digits. They drop to 34-22 and No. 6 in the West.
Up next: vs. ORL on Tuesday.
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 23, 2026
