Celtics Celebrate New Year's Eve, Lakers Enter 2024 in Tears

The NBA bid farewell to the year with completely opposite feelings for its two most legendary franchises: joy for the Celtics, who continue their winning streak, and concerns for the Lakers, ending 2023 on a worrisome note.

With only three victories in their last 11 games, the Lakers' dismal run continued since winning the NBA In-Season Tournament, adding another disappointment with a loss to the Pelicans.

Zion Williamson (26 points and 6 assists), Brandon Ingram (26 points and 8 assists), and CJ McCollum (22 points and 9 assists) led the charge for the New Orleans team, excelling in three-pointers with 17 out of 34.

Puerto Rican José Alvarado was a fantastic spark off the bench with 8 points, 3 rebounds, an assist, and notably, 4 steals and 2 blocks to ignite the Pelicans' defense.

LeBron (34 points and 8 assists), Anthony Davis (20 points and 10 rebounds), and Austin Reaves (20 points and 9 assists) carried the load for the visitors. However, the Lakers played without D'Angelo Russell and Cam Reddish due to injuries, and Rui Hachimura left the game in the first quarter with a calf issue.

Leading the East with the best record in the league (26-6), the Celtics secured their sixth consecutive victory by overwhelming the Spurs, guided by Jayson Tatum (25 points and 6 rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (24 points and 6 rebounds).

Dominican Al Horford contributed 7 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists for Boston.

Victor Wembanyama scored 21 points and 7 rebounds for the Spurs, ending the year at the bottom of the Western Conference.

The Suns extended their winning streak to three games, gradually showcasing the chemistry of their star trio on the court. Kevin Durant scored 31 points, Devin Booker added 21, and Bradley Beal contributed 25. Jusuf Nurkic joined the party with 19 points and 13 rebounds.

Paolo Banchero (28 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Franz Wagner (27 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Orlando.

The Thunder confirmed their excellent form with a fourth consecutive victory, this time defeating the struggling Nets, placing them second in the West as they head into an exciting 2024 for Oklahoma City.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24 points and 6 assists) and Chet Holmgren (18 points and 10 rebounds) stood out for the Thunder, while Mikal Bridges (22 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists) led the struggling Nets, who have only two wins (both against the Pistons with 28 consecutive losses) in their last 10 games.

A splendid triple-double from Domantas Sabonis (13 points, 21 rebounds, and 12 assists) anchored the Kings' resounding victory, ending the 'Ja Morant effect' in the Grizzlies with three consecutive losses since the return of the point guard.

Morant scored 17 points for Memphis, which also saw Spanish player Santi Aldama contribute with 5 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist.

Dominican Chris Duarte scored 7 points and 6 rebounds as a starter for the Kings, while Mexican Juan Toscano-Anderson secured 2 rebounds and 1 assist.

With 40 points and 13 assists from Trae Young, the Hawks ended the year with a smile, breaking their four-game losing streak.

Kyle Kuzma stood out with 38 points and 8 rebounds in the Wizards' defeat, as they focus on rebuilding the franchise and find themselves second to last in the East, just above the historically struggling Pistons.