Los Angeles at Boston

The 4-8 Clippers are finding out the hard way that opening the season with senior citizens hasn't paid off. Kawhi Leonard already is sidelined with a foot sprain and ankle sprain, Bradley Beal is out for the season following hip surgery and Chris Paul and Brook Lopez are dust at this late stage of their careers. The Clippers snapped a six-game losing streak by getting past the lowly Mavericks, 133-127, in double overtime this past Friday. LA is not helped by this early day game start. The Celtics are in transition, but are still only one game below .500 and 6-4 in their last 10 games. Boston is far more rested than the Clippers having played last Wednesday. The Celtics may have played their best game of the season in beating the Grizzlies, 131-95, on Wednesday shooting 51 percent from the floor and dominating the Grizzlies on the boards, 58-41. Boston has been getting excellent backcourt scoring from Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard. The trio is averaging a combined 57.3 points a game. Take the Celtics.