Kornet will return to a bench role for the Celtics in Friday's game against the Lakers. After starting Wednesday's win against the Clippers, Kornet will assume his usual role off the bench. Boston is getting key players back for this matchup.

The little-used guard got the call when Boston couldn't stop the Clippers' guards. He delivered stout defense and more in an overtime win.

Starting against Atlanta

Anthony Davis scored 24 points, Austin Reaves added 23 and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

Anthony Davis scored 24 points, Austin Reaves added 23 and the Los Angeles Lakers cruised to a 117-96 victory over the Boston Celtics on Thursday night.

Boston has been inconsistent for weeks — a stark difference from last season’s joyride — but is still among the best defending NBA champions of this century.

The Celtics outlasted the severely shorthanded Clippers 117-113 in overtime, getting key contributions from a surprise source.

Kornet will return to a bench role for the Celtics ... after missing Boston's previous contest due to an illness. The 29-year-old big man should reclaim his starting spot from Luke Kornet against ...

Dyson Daniels hit a short jumper in the lane with just over a minute left in overtime and Onyeka Okongwu made two free throws with 11 seconds left, lifting the Atlanta Hawks to a 119-115 victory over the Boston Celtics.

Did the Lakers’ 117-96 victory on Thursday night provide an impetus lasting beyond one game, or was it an outlier against a team coming off an overtime game the night before?

It's unclear whether the team was dealing with the aftereffects of the Clippers game, or simply regressing back to bad habits that have plagued it over the past month, but the Celtics did not put up much of a fight against the Lakers.