Lakers Complete Stunning Comeback Against Celtics in Overtime Thriller

The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off one of the most dramatic comebacks of the season Thursday night, erasing a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Boston Celtics 128-125 in overtime at TD Garden. Anthony Davis led the charge with 42 points and 15 rebounds, while LeBron James added 28 points and 12 assists in what many are calling a vintage performance from the aging superstar.

Trailing 108-91 with just over eight minutes remaining, the Lakers appeared destined for defeat against their historic rivals. However, a furious rally sparked by consecutive three-pointers from Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell ignited the comeback. Davis dominated in the paint during the final minutes, scoring 12 points in the last five minutes of regulation to force overtime.

The extra period was a back-and-forth battle that saw six lead changes. Jayson Tatum, who finished with 38 points for Boston, appeared to have sealed the victory with a deep three-pointer with 47 seconds remaining. But James responded immediately with his own clutch three-pointer, then found Davis for the game-winning dunk with 12.3 seconds left.

We have been in these situations before, James said after the game. AD was incredible tonight, and our bench stepped up when we needed them most. This is the kind of game that can propel us forward.

The victory moves the Lakers to 34-22 on the season, keeping pace in the competitive Western Conference playoff race. For Boston, the loss was a missed opportunity to gain ground in the Eastern Conference standings, dropping to 38-18 after leading for 46 minutes of game time.

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised his team's effort but lamented the missed opportunities down the stretch. We had them right where we wanted them, but championship teams find ways to win games like this. We have to learn from it and move forward.