Well, it certainly feels like the Boston Celtics have turned the corner. The team is on a four-game winning streak and is coming off consecutive wins against playoff-bound teams in the Denver Nuggets and Portland Trail Blazers.
Now, the C's (29-26) will look to earn their 30th win of the season on Thursday night during the final contest of their three-game west coast road trip. To do so, they'll have to get through their long-time rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Lakers (34-21) are the defending NBA champions but they've hit a bit of a rough patch lately due to injuries. Currently, both LeBron James (ankle) and Anthony Davis (calf/Achilles) are sidelined and won't play against the Celtics.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Forsberg: Why Smart is at the heart of C's turnaround
Davis hasn't played since Feb. 14. Since that time, the Lakers have gone 10-14, and since LeBron's absence began on March 20, they are just 6-7. In each of their last six games, they've been led by a different scorer and have had to adopt an offense-by-committee approach with their top talents out.
As such, the Celtics should have a good chance to keep pace with the Lakers and beat them on Thursday night. They are only expected to be without Evan Fournier, who is in the NBA's health and safety protocols, and have still scored at least 101 points in their last four games, all wins.
Jayson Tatum has also sprung to life during that stretch and has averaged 34.5 points per game during the streak. That includes the career-high 53 points he dropped against the Minnesota Timberwolves last week. He'll need to be at his best Thursday night to help the C's continue their upward trend.
Boston Celtics
Find the latest Boston Celtics news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Boston.
Celtics vs. Lakers: How to watch, TV channel and live stream
When: Thursday, April 15 at 10 p.m. ET
TV channel: NBC Sports Boston
Live stream: NBC Sports Boston or the MyTeams App
Be sure to tune into NBC Sports Boston at 9 p.m. for "Celtics Pregame Live" presented by TD Bank. We will have complete coverage after the final buzzer with "Celtics Postgame Live" presented by Your New England Ford Dealers. You can watch both shows on the MyTeams App or by clicking here.