Lakers News: Celtics To Be Without Two Key Starters Saturday Against LA

They also happen to be two of the Lakers' best defenders.

Your Los Angeles Lakers appear to have caught a second lucky break today ahead of their rematch against their longtime nemesis, the Boston Celtics. In addition to being without reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart for this evening's matchup, Boston will also be missing center Robert Williams III, who has only been healthy of 17 of the Celtics' 50 games thus far this year. 

Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports that a left ankle sprain will shelf the "Time Lord" tonight, in something of a very clutch bit of injury luck for an LA team that will take every Celtics roster absence it can get. At 35-15, Boston actually owns the best record in the entire NBA, thanks to a well-balanced attack surrounding All-Star wings Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Smart and Williams are the head of the snake defensively, though the "Jays" are both solid two-way players as well.

So far this season, the Celtics have won the two teams' lone prior meeting, a surprisingly close 122-118 overtime affair last month.

Wiliams, an All-Defensive Second Team selection last year, has not quite found his footing yet this season. Across his 17 healthy games (only eight starts), the 6'9" big man is averaging 7.9 points while shooting 76.3% from the field, 8.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.2 blocks a night.

LA could be down three starters, too: All-Star center Anthony Davis, All-Star power forward LeBron James and swingman Lonnie Walker IV may not suit up tonight. Davis is probable to play, while James and Walker are merely probable.