LOS ANGELES — The Celtics will have plenty of additional firepower on Thursday night as they look to improve to 3-0 on their road trip against the Los Angeles Lakers. The team removed all three players from their injury report on Thursday afternoon after Al Horford (toe), Kristaps Porzingis (leg), and Jrue Holiday (shoulder) all missed Wednesday’s overtime win over the Clippers. Jaylen Brown is also not on the injury report after revealing he rolled his ankle on Wednesday night.
The move to rest Porzingis, Horford and Holiday was likely strategic by Boston after the LA Clippers elected to sit six rotation players in the midst of a brutal stretch of their schedule. The Celtics still had to fight hard against a undermanned Clippers squad on Wednesday but pulled out a dramatic overtime win with some unlikely contributions.
Boston’s stars played heavy minutes in the victory so fresh legs from Porzingis, Horford and Holiday will likely be a welcome addition for Mazzulla as Boston looks to win three games in a row for the first time since Jan. 3.
On the other side, the Lakers have five players listed on their injury report including stars LeBron James (left foot) and Anthony Davis (right calf). Both of those veterans are expected to play after being listed as probable. Jalen Hood-Schifino (hamstring), Jarred Vanderbilt (right foot surgery) and Christian Wood (left knee surgery) are all out.
Thursday’s contest will be the first matchup for Boston against the Lakers with JJ Redick at the helm as coach. The team is 23-18 on the season under their rookie coach who had been recruited by Joe Mazzulla to be an assistant coach two years ago in Boston.
The Celtics and Lakers will tip off at 10 p.m. ET in a nationally televised tilt on TNT Thursday night.
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