Inconsistent Celtics guarding against back-to-back L's, visit Mavs

The Boston Celtics will be trying to avoid losing back-to-back games for the second time this season when they visit the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday.

Boston dropped a 117-96 decision to the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. It was Boston's fifth game in seven nights, and, in terms of the final margin, the team's worst loss of the season.

The Celtics have typically been able to bounce back after a loss. The only time they lost consecutive games this season was Dec. 23 at Orlando (108-104) and Dec. 25 against Philadelphia (118-114).

Still, the Celtics haven't been playing consistent basketball. Thursday's setback dropped Boston's record to 5-5 in its last 10. Boston was 8-6 in December and is 7-5 thus far in January.

"Each game presents its own opportunities," Boston's Jaylen Brown said. "It's been a tough month in January for us. We've just gotta continue to stay the course. We can't really make excuses about why we've dropped games. We've probably dropped some games we should have won. But at this point of the year, we've just gotta put our best foot forward.

"I'm not concerned, but it's a part of just navigating the year. Anything can happen. We just need to finish through the All-Star break strong and then get ready to gear up going in towards the playoffs and just continue to stay with it, stay the course, because I feel like we're still the best team out there. We've just gotta put it all together."

The Mavericks have been playing short-handed for much of the season, but they are still dangerous. Dallas proved that by beating Oklahoma City 121-115 Thursday.

In addition to missing Luka Doncic, who remains sidelined with a left calf strain, the Mavericks were without Naji Marshall (illness), Klay Thompson (ankle), Dereck Lively II (ankle), Dwight Powell (hip), Dante Exum (wrist) and Jaden Hardy (ankle).

"The energy and effort on a back-to-back was at a high," Dallas coach Jason Kidd said. "The guys played hard. They executed the game plan.

"I thought this was a character win, maybe the best win of the season -- short-handed, next-man-up mentality."

Doncic has missed more games (23) than he has played in this season (22).

"Right now, we talk about next-man-up, but it's almost holding down the fort," said Dallas guard Spencer Dinwiddie, who paced the Mavs with 28 points. "You look at our injury report, it's insane. You can make a starting five out of the injury report alone. That's tough, but that's part of the season we're having.

"As long as we stay in striking distance, we're going to have basically the best trade-deadline acquisition anybody can have when you bring the MVP back (Doncic). Maybe earlier. Looking forward to that."

Dallas has lost five of its last seven games, and both victories during that stretch came against Oklahoma City. The Mavericks shot 45.2 percent from 3-point range in Thursday's victory (14 of 31). Kyrie Irving led the way by connecting on 4 of his 8 3-point attempts.

"Now we got to build on that consistency," Irving said. "The last few games, we have not been as consistent as we'd like. (It was a) gutsy win."

--Field Level Media