LeBron James, Anthony Davis sitting out Thursday's Celtics-Lakers clash

BOSTON -- Thursday night's Celtics-Lakers tilt at TD Garden is going to be lacking some serious star power on the Los Angeles side. For the first time this season, the Lakers will be without both LeBron James and Anthony Davis. 

Are they ducking Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the first-place Celtics? Perhaps. But it likely has more to do with the Lakers playing their third game in four nights, and fourth in six days.

Davis also missed Tuesday's game -- a loss to the Atlanta Hawks -- with what the team is terming bilateral Achilles tendinopathy and left hip spasm. That's the injury that forced the big man out of Monday night's loss to the Rockets.

James, meanwhile, will miss the game with a left ankle peroneal tendinopathy. Thursday night will be the sixth game that the 39-year-old misses this season. 

The 24-25 Lakers are looking to avenge their Christmas Day loss to the Celtics, not to mention last season's loss in Boston, which ended in pretty controversial fashion for Los Angeles. But they'll have to do so without their two biggest stars against the best team in basketball.