The Celtics and Lakers account for winning 33 of the now 72 different NBA championships, but their long and illustrious rivalry will likely be a mere footnote on Thursday night, just hours after the NBA's trade deadline.
Boston (35-19) is tied with Indiana for third in the Eastern Conference and has been reported to have heavy interest in making a move to land Anthony Davis from New Orleans. Davis' father has said his son has no interest in playing long term for the Celtics, but look for GM Danny Ainge to make some sort of move to keep his superstar and impending free agent point guard Kyrie Irving happy.
Irving sat out Tuesday's win in Cleveland with a hip strain despite dropping 30 points and 11 assists on Sunday against Oklahoma City. He's missed for of Boston's last seven games.
MORE: Watch 76ers vs. Warriors live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
Los Angeles (27-27) finds itself in similar trade discussions with New Orleans to acquire Davis, with the caveat being that Davis has intentions of signing a contract with the Lakers. Los Angeles has reportedly offered a deal that would send several young players and draft pick compensation to land the perennial All-Star and join LeBron James.
Amid swirling trade rumors and a contentious relationship with coach Luke Walton, the Lakers lost by 42 points on Tuesday to the Pacers, the worst loss of James' career. James returned to action last Thursday against the Clippers following a 17-game injury absence.
Whatever move the Lakers make at the deadline, they are currently 2.5 games out of the Western Conference's final playoff spot and will need to improve a roster that's lost six of its last eight games.
"LeBron's gonna trade you."
— Sporting News (@sportingnews) February 6, 2019
The Indiana crowd is going hard at Brandon Ingram.pic.twitter.com/2Ubue1Wizd
The Celtics and Lakers have set to play this season, but have famously met 12 times in the NBA Finals with Boston holding a 9-3 advantage.
What time is Lakers vs. Celtics?
The Lakers play the Celtics on Thursday, Feb. 7. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m. ET.
Lakers vs. Celtics TV channel, live stream
The game will be broadcast nationally on TNT. It can also be streamed live online with fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
Where is Lakers vs. Celtics being played?
TD Garden in Boston is the site of Thursday's game. The Celetics have won 13 of their last 14 games at home, while the Lakers are just 11-15 on the road.