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.

The Boston Celtics have been consistently inconsistent for nearly two months, and are developing some bad habits in the process.

Will we be seeing more of the young guard in the future? Was this the Celtics' way of pumping up his potential trade value?

The defending champions start up a back-to-back in Los Angeles on Wednesday, Jan. 22 when the Boston Celtics visit the LA Clippers at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, Calif.

Get details on the date, time, venue, ticket prices, and more for the upcoming Los Angeles Clippers vs. Boston Celtics game.

The Boston Celtics head to crypto.com Arena to face the Los Angeles Lakers in a non-conference matchup. The Celtics are 30-13, which puts them in second place in the Eastern Conference. The Lakers are 23-18, which puts them in sixth place in the Western Conference.

The Lakers and Celtics, of course, are longtime bitter rivals. The rivalry came to a head twice in Pierce's Hall of Fame career in the NBA Finals, with the Celtics capturing the title in 2008 and the Lakers defeating the Celtics in '10.

Boston will need to be vigilant that old habits vs. banged-up and lesser ball clubs don't make a winnable game into a struggle -- or worse, a loss.

The faithful green masses, including a young boy in a full leprechaun getup, roared their approval Wednesday when Jayson Tatum rushed back in transition to swat a

Boston’s starting five is finding cohesion, and its defense stifled Golden State. The Celtics’ ability to stay consistent will be tested against the Clippers, who sit fifth in the Western Conference standings and sport a 15-7 record at the Intuit Dome.