By admin 
The Lakers could not extend their winning streak in the Las Vegas summer league, falling 95-90 to the Celtics on Wednesday night.
The Lakers dominated extended parts of the first two quarters to take a 10-point lead into halftime, but a huge third-quarter run by the Celtics and a continued effort in the fourth allowed them to hold off the Lakers in the final minutes.
The following are three highlights from the game:
D’MOI HODGE IS A GOOD COOK.
D’Moi Hodge showed off his ability to get hot from the outside and pile up points in bunches against Boston in another impressive performance this summer. Hodge ended with 22 points, making six of his 13 three-point attempts and shooting 8-16 from the field
14 at the half for Hodge pic.twitter.com/spUSuV14wS
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 13, 2023
Hodge made his threes in a variety of ways, but whether he was spotting up, moving against a scrambling defender, in transition, or pulling up off the dribble, he showed off his lightning-quick release and outstanding balance. Hodge never appeared rushed or out of rhythm, instead appearing completely at ease taking and making shots from everywhere on the floor, regardless of how the defense defended him.
Christie for three 💥 pic.twitter.com/31MDRLSyPa
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) July 13, 2023
YET ANOTHER CHRISTIE ALL-AROUND GAME
Max Christie has stated numerous times that his summer goals have been to demonstrate that he has improved his game and that he deserves a spot in the Lakers rotation this coming season, all while doing everything he can to help them win games in summer league. While the club did not win this game, Christie did his hardest to achieve all of his goals against Boston.
Christie led the Lakers with 24 points, eight rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block, connecting on seven of his 14 field goals and all eight of his free throws. Christie did a little bit of everything in this one, demonstrating once again his ability to get downhill to either score or be fouled in the paint, hit spot up jumpers, and connect on his pull up jumper from both the mid-range and beyond the arc when the defense allowed him too much room.Max was excellent offensively overall, but he struggled with ball security, committing five mistakes on the night. This summer, Christie will have more opportunity for progress as he takes on more playmaking and shot creation responsibilities; he will be put in more scenarios where his handle and passing will be tested by defenses gearing up to stop him. Though he may not get as many of these reps during the regular season, these are the opportunities that can serve as fantastic teaching moments for him to carry forward and help him grow as a talent.
SLOG IN THE THIRD QUARTER
The Celtics took control of the game in the third quarter, putting the Lakers on their heels and putting pressure on their offense with tough on-ball defense and a variety of looks on that side of the ball. A two-three zone that coupled ball pressure and quick rotations disrupted the Lakers’ first-half flow was critical to their success.
The Lakers turned the ball over half of the time, pressing the action with passes or dribble attacks in 
an attempt to split defenders who were stacked up to stop those types of plays. When the Lakers weren’t turning the ball over, they simply coulddn’t get their shots to fall at the same rate they did early in the game – even when they had decent looks.
These mistakes and missed baskets fueled the Celtics’ open court and transition game, allowing them to score before the Lakers’ defense was fully set. Boston took advantage of this space to get downhill and attack the basket, scoring successfully inside and drawing fouls that they converted at the line for free points.
By the end of the quarter, the Lakers’ double-digit halftime lead had shrunk to a three-point deficit, which the Celtics were able to hold through most of the fourth quarter to secure the victory.