Who's Playing

Los Angeles @ Boston

Current Records: Los Angeles 37-17; Boston 37-16

What to Know

The Boston Celtics haven't won a contest against the Los Angeles Clippers since Jan. 24 of 2018, but they'll be looking to end the drought Thursday. Boston will take on Los Angeles at 8 p.m. ET at home. The Celtics are expected to win -- but not by much -- so they will need to come into the game prepared for a fight.

The matchup between Boston and the Houston Rockets on Tuesday was not particularly close, with Boston falling 116-105. Small forward Gordon Hayward put forth a good effort for the losing side as he had 20 points and six assists in addition to eight boards.

Meanwhile, it was all tied up 54-54 at halftime, but Los Angeles was not quite the Philadelphia 76ers' equal in the second half when they met on Tuesday. Los Angeles took a 110-103 hit to the loss column. The losing side was boosted by small forward Kawhi Leonard, who had 30 points and nine assists.

The losses put the Celtics at 37-16 and Los Angeles at 37-17. A couple defensive numbers to keep in mind before tip-off: Boston ranks second in the league when it comes to points allowed per game, with only 105.7 on average. As for Los Angeles, they have been holding their opponents to a field goal percentage of 43.70%, which places them third in the league. We'll find out if either of these strengths ends up making the difference in the matchup.

How To Watch

  • When: Thursday at 8 p.m. ET
  • Where: TD Garden -- Boston, Massachusetts
  • TV: TNT
  • Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
  • Follow: CBS Sports App
  • Ticket Cost: $60.89

Odds

The Celtics are a slight 1.5-point favorite against the Clippers, according to the latest NBA odds.

Vegas was right in line with the betting community on this one, as the game opened as a 1.5-point spread, and stayed right there.

Over/Under: 227

See NBA picks for every single game, including this one, from SportsLine's advanced computer model. Get picks now.

Series History

Los Angeles have won six out of their last nine games against Boston.

  • Nov 20, 2019 - Los Angeles 107 vs. Boston 104
  • Mar 11, 2019 - Los Angeles 140 vs. Boston 115
  • Feb 09, 2019 - Los Angeles 123 vs. Boston 112
  • Feb 14, 2018 - Los Angeles 129 vs. Boston 119
  • Jan 24, 2018 - Boston 113 vs. Los Angeles 102
  • Mar 06, 2017 - Los Angeles 116 vs. Boston 102
  • Feb 05, 2017 - Boston 107 vs. Los Angeles 102
  • Mar 28, 2016 - Los Angeles 114 vs. Boston 90
  • Feb 10, 2016 - Boston 139 vs. Los Angeles 134