Celtics vs Clippers Live Stream Tonight: Start Time, Injury Report, Lineups & Real-Time Score Updates

The Boston Celtics travel west tonight to face the Los Angeles Clippers in a marquee NBA clash at the brand-new Intuit Dome that has fans hammering “Celtics vs Clippers” into search bars everywhere. Tip-off and viewing • Date & time: Saturday, January 3, 2026 – 10:30 p.m. ET / 7:30 p.m. PT • Venue: Intuit Dome, Inglewood, CA • TV: NBA TV nationally; NBC Sports Boston and Bally Sports SoCal locally Why the matchup matters 1. Streaks colliding: Boston is 3-1 on its post-Christmas road swing, while Los Angeles rides a five-game surge and seeks a fifth straight home victory. 2. Standings impact: The 21-12 Celtics are chasing the Knicks atop the Atlantic Division; the 12-21 Clippers, suddenly hot, are clawing back into the Western Conference play-in chase. 3. Star power even without Tatum: Jaylen Brown (29.5 ppg) shoulders Boston’s scoring load with Jayson Tatum nursing an Achilles strain, while Kawhi Leonard (28.5 ppg) and James Harden (7.9 apg) headline L.A.’s veteran core. Key storylines to watch • Jaylen Brown vs Kawhi Leonard: Two elite two-way wings who can swing the contest at both ends. Expect Leonard to test Brown’s handle, while Brown attacks mismatches created by Harden’s switches. • Backcourt battle: Derrick White’s steady playmaking (5.2 apg) meets Harden’s pick-and-roll wizardry. Whoever controls tempo could dictate the pace. • Paint presence: Ivica Zubac averages 11.1 rebounds and anchors a Clippers defense that ranks top-10 since mid-December; he’ll be tested by Boston’s surging big Neemias Queta (7.6 boards in 18 minutes) and Kristaps Porziņģis’ floor-spreading threat. Injury report Celtics: Jayson Tatum (Achilles) – OUT; Ron Harper Jr. (back) – game-time decision. Clippers: Bogdan Bogdanović (hamstring) – OUT; Bradley Beal (hip) – out for season. Hot statistical nuggets • Boston owns the league’s No. 3 offense at 117.0 ppg, powered by 47 percent shooting and a barrage of threes. • L.A. has tightened the screws defensively during its win streak, holding opponents to 101.8 ppg over the last five games. • The first meeting on Nov. 12 ended 121-118 for Boston; Brown poured in 34, while Leonard countered with 33. Betting line snapshot (DraftKings) Spread: Celtics –1.5 Over/Under: 219.5 Moneyline: BOS –105 / LAC –120 What it could come down to If Boston’s perimeter shooters stay hot and Porziņģis drags Zubac out of the lane, the Celtics can stretch the floor and negate the Clippers’ size. Conversely, Los Angeles will lean on Leonard’s mid-post efficiency and Harden’s drive-and-kick game to exploit Boston’s help defense minus Tatum. Expect a possession-by-possession thriller that keeps the Intuit Dome rocking and the Eastern and Western playoff pictures in flux. Search-friendly takeaway Fans searching “Celtics vs Clippers live score,” “how to watch Celtics Clippers,” or “Celtics injury report tonight” will find this matchup stacked with playoff implications, headline talent, and plenty of drama—exactly why this game tops NBA trending queries right now.