LOS ANGELES — The modern incarnation of the NBA’s most illustrious rivalry added a new chapter on Sunday night in Crypto.com Arena, the cathedral of basketball history. The Boston Celtics crushed the Los Angeles Lakers 111-89, handling the last stretch of the regular season with the composure of a reigning champion. In addition to adding a win to their record, the victory completed a midseason sweep of their purple-and-gold rivals and sent a message to the rest of the league that Boston’s depth is still their most potent weapon.

High passion and historical significance characterized the tale going into the competition. The Lakers organization unveiled a statue of renowned head coach Pat Riley as part of their afternoon celebration of the “Showtime” era. The cold, tactical efficiency of a Boston team that has already won eight of its past nine games, however, replaced the nostalgia once the ball was tipped.

Despite Jayson Tatum’s noticeable absence due to a nagging minor ailment, the Celtics (37-19) played with such fluidity that the Lakers’ defense was always lagging behind. Jaylen Brown forcefully took up the mantle of leadership. With a magnificent effort, the All-Star wing scored 32 points, pulled down eight rebounds, and dished out seven assists. Brown’s performance was a master class in relentless rim pressure and mid-range movement, which put the Lakers in early foul trouble and jeopardized their defensive rotations.

Even while Brown’s primary scoring was spectacular, the Boston bench’s explosive contribution, particularly Payton Pritchard’s “fast-twitch” scoring, was the night’s main story. Pritchard scorched the Lakers for 30 points in what will probably go down as his best game of the year. Pritchard was the ultimate equalizer, making six three-pointers, several of which came at the conclusion of shot clocks that were running low. Pritchard used a deep-range dagger to hush the arena each time the Los Angeles fans started to grow agitated.

The night was a maddening combination of both individual brilliance and group slowness for the Lakers (34–22). LeBron James continued his unheard-of defiance of time by surpassing the 43,000-point career milestone and reaching a statistical peak that few believed was feasible. A standing ovation welcomed the milestone, recognizing a level of performance and longevity that goes beyond the box score. The Lakers’ inability to establish a reliable offensive identity against Boston’s top perimeter defense, however, was not obscured by James’ particular genius.

The Lakers’ star player, Luka Dončić, finished with 25 points, but he had to work hard for each basket. In order to bother Dončić and obstruct the Lakers’ passing lanes, the Celtics used a rotating group of defenders, led by the athletic Derrick White and the adaptable Jrue Holiday. As a result, the Los Angeles attack struggled to produce the high-percentage looks that had characterized their current winning streak and shot a sluggish 39.1% from the field.

The first quarter ended in a dead heat as the game continued to be a seesaw contest for the first twelve minutes. However, the Celtics started to take advantage of the Lakers’ transition defense as the second quarter went on. By halftime, Boston had a 60-50 advantage thanks to their ability to convert defensive boards into quick offensive pressure. Despite multiple attempts in the third quarter to reduce the score to single digits, Los Angeles was never able to close the distance.

Halfway through the fourth quarter, the knockout blow was delivered. Boston replied with a 16–4 scoring run when the Lakers were behind by 12 points and the atmosphere in the building was at an all-time high. Defensive stops and selfless ball movement defined this run, which ended with Pritchard’s step-back triple that increased the advantage to more over twenty. In the end, Lakers head coach JJ Redick decided to sit his team, giving up the game to a better opponent.

This victory has important ramifications for the Eastern Conference rankings. Boston maintains pressure on the Detroit Pistons for the top overall pick while strengthening its hold on the second slot. The Lakers’ defeat serves as a depressing reminder of how far behind they are from the league’s top contenders.

With the assurance of a team that has perfected the art of winning on the road, the Celtics take off for their Tuesday night matchup against the Phoenix Suns.