It was a bit of an anticlimactic ending to what was one of the most highly-anticipated matchups of MLK Day, with the Boston Celtics making easy work of the Los Angeles Lakers in the TD Garden. Boston did not give L.A. a single inch throughout the contest, as the home team emerged with a lopsided blowout victory, 139-107.

For his part, Celtics veteran guard Marcus Smart gives a lot of credit to head coach Brad Stevens and the unusual film session he held for his squad. Smart provided more insight on the same via Jay King of The Athletic.

“It was really just holding ourselves accountable,” Smart said. “We looked at every possession and he would pause it and we would ask ourselves, ‘Did we do our job?’ We went through the game plan and we checked off the list if we did our job. If we didn’t, we put a mark up on the board, ‘no.’ If we did, we put a mark up on the board, ‘yes.’ So for us, it was really not so much getting on us but really allowing us to learn. And not overreacting too much (to a recent losing skid).”

Prior to Monday's win, the C's had lost six out of their last eight games, and this victory over the Lakers was a big one for them. Hopefully for Boston, this notable victory serves to kick off a significant run, as they look to further solidify their position in the upper half of the Eastern Conference playoffs picture.