Prior to a few select games this season, our NBA Wire sites will join forces to write about two teams they cover. Today, Erik is joined by Justin Quinn of USA TODAY’s Celtics Wire to preview Monday evening’s matchup between the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics. 

What can you tell me about the Boston Celtics’ season so far?

Justin Quinn: It started off much better than many expected due to Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum playing better than they were expected to, but has since slowed as a busy January, injuries, and bad habits have combined to take a little win out of the Celtics’ sails recently.

They still have all the tools to be one of the better teams in the league, but health and consistent engagement remain challenges to being the team Boston fans are hoping takes the floor against the Lakers Monday night.

What can you tell me about the Los Angeles Lakers’ season so far?

Erik García Gundersen: It’s gone about as perfectly as anybody could have imagined. The book on LeBron James’ teams, especially new ones, was that they would start slow before gelling later on in the season. This year’s Lakers, led by LeBron and Anthony Davis, have completely changed that by racing out to a 34-8 record.

The Lakers also play unlike basically every team in the NBA. LeBron James is their starting point guard and the team relies on the post more than almost any team in the league, using LeBron and Davis’ advantages on the block to create mismatches and good looks for their teammates when the defense keys in on them.

What will it take for the Lakers to win? What will it take for the Celtics?

JQ: For the Lakers, they need to follow the pattern that’s been working for their peers — come out swinging hard early, build a lead and demoralize Boston so they have to play catch-up. Specifically targeting Kemba Walker early would also be wise, as the UConn product has been at his most useful carrying the team early while the wing players figure out who’s got it going on any given night.

For the Celtics, it’s mostly just the reverse of that, if a little more complicated. They need to move the ball early and often, instead of the rushing offense they’ve been deploying early in possessions to ill effect in recent games.

EG: For the Celtics, as you said, moving the ball is paramount. The Lakers have been excellent with their rotations all season long and their size presents huge problems for every team in the league. The Celtics have to use their plus-perimeter depth to their advantage, with their ball-handlers driving the lane to create ripples in the defense.

As for the Lakers, they need to impose their size advantage on the Celtics. The Celtics are big on the wings, but thin in the middle, where the Lakers have gotten strong production all season from Davis, as well as JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard. Coming off of a game where Howard and McGee outplayed Houston’s Clint Capela, Boston’s combo of big men in Enes Kanter and Daniel Theis will have their work cut out for them.

Is there anything else we should know?

JQ: Injuries could play an unusually large role in this contest. With Boston listing not just their starting backcourt of Kemba Walker and Jaylen Brown as questionable along with second-year center Robert Williams as out, the Celtics could be at as big of a disadvantage as the Lakers.

EG: The Lakers, on the other hand, got some positive injury news on Monday morning as they will have Anthony Davis back in uniform after he missed the last five games. LeBron is also coming into today’s game via helicopter after watching his son Bronny play in nearby Springfield.

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