The star Luka Doncic is out of Boston Celtics x Los Angeles Lakers on the night of this Friday (05/12), at 9 pm (Brasília time), for a special reason: the shipowner traveled to Slovenia to accompany the birth of her second daughter with his wife, Ana Maria.
The arrival of the new baby took everyone by surprise, as the couple always kept their intimate life away from the media and no one knew that Ana Maria was pregnant. The birth took place this Friday (05/12), and the couple welcomed another girl. Just as they do with their firstborn, two-year-old Gabriela, they must preserve the child’s privacy.
Last Thursday (04/12), Luka was no longer present at the Lakers’ commitment, who beat the Toronto Raptors away from home by 123 to 120.
When will Luka Doncic return to the Lakers?
With his newborn daughter, it is possible that he will stay a few more days in his home country. In Sunday’s duel (07/12) against the Philadelphia 76ers, he should still be absent. The likely return is on the 11th, when the Los Angeles Lakers enter the court in the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup, against the San Antonio Spurs.
How to watch Celtics vs Lakers live online
The game will be broadcast on Prime Video and NBA League Pass, the league’s official platform that broadcasts 100% of the season’s NBA games.
Prime Video
Prime Video offers a period of 30 day free trial for new profiles. After 30 days, the service is automatically renewed for R$19.90/month or up to 12 installments of R$13.90 (R$166.80/year).
+ Click here to register and watch the match free form within the trial period.
NBA League Pass
NBA League Pass, the NBA’s official platform, is the only one that broadcasts 100% of the league’s games live in Brazil. The service also offers exclusive benefits such as access to replays, real-time statistics, best moments, broadcasts with personalized languages, a collection of historical games from other seasons and exclusive programs.
Prices:
- League Pass mensal: R$ 54,99
- League Pass premium mensal: R$ 69,99
- League Pass season: R$ 389.90 (40% discount)
- League Pass premium season: R$ 489.90 (40% discount)
MORE: Click here to watch on NBA League Pass
Celtics x Lakers: how the teams arrive
O Celtics (13-9) is going through a period of adaptation without Jayson Tatum, who continues to recover from surgery on his Achilles tendon. Even without its star, the team has remained competitive thanks to Joe Mazzulla’s system, one of the most balanced in the league, with strong ball movement and enormous volume on the perimeter.
The team also arrives motivated after a quiet victory over the Washington Wizards, which allowed rest for some starters. Another important aspect is the possible return of Marcus Smart, who can increase defensive aggressiveness and reinforce the external rotation.
Boston arrives more rested, with the fourth best attack in the league and the lowest turnover average in the NBA.
Already the Lakers (16-5) arrive for the classic in a challenging scenario. The team is on the second night of a back-to-back and is still dealing with the absence of Luka Doncic, who is still out due to the birth of his second child. Overall, the team has shown competitiveness throughout the season, especially in big games, supported by the protagonism of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, and the evolution of Austin Reaves.
In the last game, physical wear and tear was evident, and JJ Redick will need to manage the rotation well to avoid drops in performance, especially on the perimeter. Anthony Davis, Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton will be essential to control the paint and compensate for the lack of their main star. The expectation is for a more physical Lakers, trying to limit mistakes and slow down the pace to take the Celtics out of their comfort zone.
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