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Boston Celtics pull away from the LA Clippers in 2nd half breaking 6 game winning streak, Brown had 50 pts-Jan 2025

todd elliot

Game Recap: Celtics 146, Clippers 115 — Jan. 3, 2026

 Final Numbers & Key Stats

  • Final Score: Boston Celtics 146, LA Clippers 115.

  • Celtics Shooting:
    • 55.2% overall field goal percentage (very efficient).
    • 47.1% from three-point range — Boston was incredibly hot from deep and made it a big factor.   They were on fire and every time the Clippers started a comeback, they answered and many from deep.

  • Top Celtics Performers:
    • Jaylen Brown – 50 points (tied career high) on 18-of-26 shooting with 6-of-10 from three.
    • Derrick White – 29 points (10-of-20 shooting).
    • Anfernee Simons – 15 points, Jordan Walsh – 13 points & 13 rebounds (double-double).

  • Clippers Scoring:
    • Kawhi Leonard – 22 points, John Collins – 22 points. However, the Celtics defense and pressure were the best against Leonard of any recent team. 
    • James Harden – 18 points & 12 assists.
    • Ivica Zubac – 4 points & 7 rebounds in limited minutes after returning from injury.

  •   Derrick Jones Jr had a great game with 19th points but re-injured his left knee and had to leave the game.

 Context & Streak

  • Clippers were on a season-best six-game winning streak prior to this loss.

  • Ivica Zubac returned from a sprained left ankle injury that had sidelined him since December 20 vs. the Lakers.

  • Despite the return of Zubac, the Clippers couldn’t keep pace with Boston’s offensive execution and three-point shooting.

 Why Boston Dominated

  • The Celtics shot at elite efficiency (55.2% overall and nearly 50% from deep).

  • Boston also took control in the third quarter, outscoring LA and pulling away decisively.

  • The crowd at Intuit Dome reportedly had a strong contingent of Celtics fans, adding energy to a high-scoring, exciting atmosphere.

 Other Notes

  • Jaylen Brown’s 50 points marked one of the best single-game scoring performances of the young season and fueled MVP buzz.

  • Derrick White’s all-around performance (scoring, defense, hustle) helped cement Boston’s dominance beyond just Brown’s scoring.

Clippers’ Last 5 Games Before Boston Loss (Context)

Here’s a rough summary of the streak that led into this game (with some specific performances from Leonard during the hot stretch):
(based on available boxscore data and league log trends)

  1. Dec 23 vs. Houston: Leonard 41 PTS — Clippers win.

  2. Dec 26 @ Portland: Leonard 28/(Clippers win).

  3. Dec 28 vs. Detroit: Kawhi 55 points (career-high) and Clippers win.

  4. Dec 30 vs. Sacramento: Leonard 33 PTS — Clippers win.

  5. Jan 1 vs. Utah: Leonard 45 PTS — Clippers improve streak to six.

Then the streak ended vs Boston.

 Zubac returned for this 6th game and the Boston game but was limited.

 Up Next for the Clippers

Before they host Golden State on Monday, here’s what you should know:

The Clippers play the Golden State Warriors on Jan. 5, 2026 at the Intuit Dome — tip-off around 7:00 PM PT 
The matchup is part of the regular season and will likely be televised on Peacock/NBC platforms.

For the most current details (tickets, live stats, broadcast info), check out the Clippers’ official website before game time: https://www.nba.com/clippers/schedule