The Los Angeles Lakers and their 16 NBA Championships come to Boston only once during the regular season every year. Due to more than 50 years of history and rivalry with their West Coast counterparts, Boston Celtic fans look especially forward to the annual arrival of the purple and gold in the state where basketball was birthed. And since the Celts hang 17 Championship banners in the rafters of the TD Garden, tonight’s contest and the one hosted by the Angelino hoopsters later this year could be previews of the June championship round for the big enchilada.

At 14-10, Boston’s veteran squad suffered through a season-opening three-game losing streak as well as a separate 5-game slide, signaling to some the end of an era. But now Coach Doc Rivers’ team is on a season-high 5-game winning streak and, impressively, has been victorious in 9 of their last 10 games. The Celtics last played and won on Tuesday at home against the Charlotte Bobcats. In that 48 minutes, 14^th-year forward Paul Pierce scored 15 points to move into second place on Boston’s all-time scoring list, passing 3-time NBA MVP Larry Joe Bird. In Boston buckets, ‘The Truth’ now trails only HOF’er John Havlicek.

Coach Mike Brown’s squad last competed on Monday night in Philly where they were beaten 95-90 by the Atlantic division leading 76ers. At 14-11, the Lake Show sits two games behind their Staples Center cotenants, the Clippers, in the Pacific Division. The problem for Kobe Bryant and company has been their collective road performance. LA is 11-2 at home, but only 3-9 on the road. Tonight’s matchup is the fourth in a current six-game road trip for the Lakers (so far they’re 1-2).

In Monday’s loss, Kobe passed his former teammate Shaquille O’Neal for fifth place on the NBA’s career scoring list with 28,601. Amazingly, in his 16^th season in the league, 5X champ Bryant leads the NBA in scoring at 29.3 ppg despite a torn ligament in his right wrist.

These two storied teams met in both the 2008 NBA Finals and again in the 2010 Finals. In ’08, the first year of Boston’s new Big 3 of Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen, the Celtics prevailed. In ’10, former coach Phil Jackson and Kobe beat the Green&White in a tough, physical seven-game series that came down to the last minute. And while most league followers and commentators don’t believe that either of these teams will represent their respective conferences and meet in the 2012 title series, both sides in tonight’s contest have the veteran talent, leadership and coaching to be in the mix and make a run to the ring come the postseason

I’ll be back in the TNT booth with Marv Albert and my upcoming Rising Stars Challenge rival Steve Kerr for LAL @ BOS tonight at 8:00 PM ET.

The Chicago Bulls and reigning league MVP 4^th-year point guard Derrick Rose arrive on the island of Manhattan to take on the New York Knicks tonight at Madison Square Garden. Coach Tom Thibodeau’s guys are 18-6 and sit atop the Eastern Conference even after losing in the City of Brotherly Love last night to the exciting, upstart Philadelphia 76ers 98-82. On the other side, after dropping 9 of their last 11 contests, coach Mike D’Antoni’s squad crushed the Detroit Pistons in Manhattan on Tuesday night 113-86. The up and down Knicks currently sit in 10^th place in the East at 8-13.

Knick scorer extraordinaire 9^th-year forward Carmelo Anthony led the team with 25 points in the much needed win after sitting out New York’s previous two games with nagging ankle, wrist and thumb injuries. All-Star Anthony couldn’t have returned at a better time with the Knicks kicking off their only back-to-back-to-back stretch of the compacted season against the imposing, but recently injury-depleted Bulls. Tonight’s 48-minute tussle will be Chicago’s fourth of nine straight games away from the United Center. So far they are 1-2 on this February road sojourn. New Bull 13^th-year shooting guard Richard Hamilton won’t play tonight due to thigh and groin issues. However, 8^th-year forward Luol Deng should be available
after a six-game absence due to a torn ligament in his wrist.

If the former Dukie Deng is back at the 3 alongside center Joakim Noah and power forward Carlos Boozer, also a Duke alum, the frontline matchup at the Mecca of Hoops will be top-notch considering the 3-4-5 starting for the Gothamites. Anthony, along with 10^th-year, 6X All-Star Amar’e Stoudemire and 11^th-year center Tyson Chandler, who spent the first five seasons of his career with Chicago, are considered by many haranguers of the hardwood to be the best frontline in the NBA today.

The last time Chicago lost two in a row in the regular season was almost a full calendar year ago on February 5^th and 7^th, 2011. In addition, MVP Rose has put up great numbers against the Knicks in their last six meetings: 26.2 ppg to go along with a 54.1 FG%. And veteran Boozer seems to love playing in the white-hot spotlight of West 33^rd street NYC as well. In his last six trips to MSG he has averaged 22.5 ppg and 15.8 rpg.

Live coverage of Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks tips off at 8:00 PM ET on TNT following the announcement of the 2012 All-Star starting lineups.

The storied Boston Celtics come to central Florida tonight to take on the Dwight Howard-led Orlando Magic. Coach Doc Rivers’ green & white squad stands at 7-9 at the approximate quarter mark of this condensed NBA season. The veteran group, winners of the 2008 NBA title, has suffered through a five-game losing streak and whispers around the league that it may be time for GM Danny Ainge to dismantle his Hall of Fame core of 14^th-year captain Paul Pierce, 16^th-year shooting guard Ray Allen and 17^th-year forward Kevin Garnett.

However, the Beantown Ballers have won three of their last four contests, including Monday’s obliteration of the Magic in Massachusetts by the remarkable score of 87-56. The 56 points and 24.6% field goal percentage that Orlando managed three nights ago represent franchise-record lows in both categories. The Celtics accomplished this 48-minute defensive coup without starters Ray Allen (left ankle) and Rajon Rondo (right wrist), who will both miss tonight’s rematch.

This game marks the return of 7^th-year forward Brandon Bass to O-Town. Bass was traded to Boston in the offseason for fellow LSU Tiger Glen ‘Big Baby’ Davis and guard Von Wafer. So far this season Bass (who ranks fifth in court time on the roster with 28.3 minutes per game) has been a productive contributor off the C’s bench with 11.9 ppg and 6.5 rpg. Bass played 34 minutes and had 19 points and 8 boards against his old team on Monday.

Coach Stan Van Gundy’s guys last played on Tuesday night at Indiana and came away victorious, 102-83.  In the win, All-World center Dwight Howard became the Magic’s all-time leading scorer, passing Nick Anderson who played for Orlando from 1989-1999. Superman has scored 10,657 points in his career.

The 26-year-old, 8^th-year superstar Howard has been prognostication and prediction topic numero uno ever since he asked for a trade prior to the start of the season. Despite the added stress of the swelling relocation rumors surrounding their First-Team All-NBA big man (who can opt out of his current deal with Orlando when he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer), the Magic sit only a half game behind the Heat in the Southeast Division at 12-5.

Marv and I will have courtside seats to the O-Town showdown when TNT presents live coverage of the Boston Celtics vs. Orlando Magic tonight at 8:00 PM EST.

The New York Knicks come to The Bluff City to take on the Grizzlies tonight at The FedExForum. The guys from Gotham are riding high on a four-game winning streak, while the Memphis squad has been singing the blues of late.

Memphis had a tremendous run heading into the playoffs in 2011 and pounded their opponents on the boards, but they’ve had difficulty picking up where they left off due to injuries. Just prior to the late start of this shortened season the Griz lost 6’9” backup C/PF Darrell Arthur, who tore his Achilles tendon during practice. And they’ve been without their key big guy 12^th-year PF 6’9” Zach Randolph since he injured his knee in the fourth game.

Randolph led the Grizzlies in both scoring and rebounding last year. Without Z-Bo’s interior toughness and at times prolific scoring and board work, Coach Lionel Hollins needs his other big men, especially 4^th-year 7’1” C Marc Gasol, to step up their production, execution and intensity. This is especially important tonight with the Knicks boasting what many basketball brains consider the top frontcourt in the 30-team league. With 10^th-year 6’11” 6X-All Star PF Amar’e Stoudemire, 9^th-year 6’8’ 4X-All Star SF Carmelo Anthony and the new addition of 11^th-year 7’1” shot-blocking C Tyson Chandler, coach Mike D’Antoni’s frontline is formidable at both ends of the court.

New York last played yesterday, which may bode well for Memphis. The Knicks beat a Philadelphia team that was on a six-game winning streak 85-79. Carmelo Anthony had 27 points and 9 boards; Amar’e Stoudemire scored 20 points and pulled down 10 rebounds; and Tyson Chandler led both teams with 13 boards in the victorious effort at MSG.

Tonight’s contest is the second of a four-game home stand for the Grizzlies, who were an impressive 30-11 at home last year. They played and lost on Tuesday to the Oklahoma City Thunder 100-95, their third loss in a row. After the Knicks, the Griz host New Orleans and then Chicago, so a win tonight could be just the answer to get Rudy Gay and company over their early season struggles. On the flip side, an ‘L’ to the men from MSG will leave the Grizzlies searching for answers.

Memphis’ backcourt trio of PG Mike Conley, SG O.J. Mayo and SG/defensive stopper Tony Allen will be matched up against the Knicks young one and two. 2^nd-year SG Landry Fields and rookie combo guard Iman Shumpert have handled much of New York’s backcourt burden along with 3^rd-year PG Toney Douglas. So while most of the attention will be paid to the Knicks front three triumvirate, the battles at the guard positions may ultimately decide this game.

Marv Albert, Reggie Miller and I will bring you the first matchup of tonight’s doubleheader on TNT when the Memphis Grizzlies host the New York Knicks at 8:00 PM EST.

More bad news for the Nets: The shorthanded squad will face the Celtics tonight without starting point guard Deron Williams, who is recovering from a collision with Pacers forward Tyler Hansbrough in Monday’s 108-94 loss to Indiana. Power forward Kris Humphries will also be sidelined for the second straight game with a sprained shoulder.

Factor in the loss of leading scorer Brook Lopez, who will be out at least another month after undergoing foot surgery, and the Nets’mounting casualties add up to another big setback for their struggling offense (NJN are shooting a league-worst 38.4 percent from the field). Williams, Humphries and Lopez combined for 52 points in their 88-79 home win over Boston the last time these Atlantic Division rivals met. This will be a daunting deficit for their starting lineup stand-ins to overcome.

Boston has also been impacted by some early season injuries. Paul Pierce missed the first few games due to a bone bruise in his right heel. Ray Allen will sit out tonight because of an illness. And the Celtics have some concerns about center Jermaine O’Neal, who missed Monday’s 100-92 win over the Washington Wizards due to lingering soreness in his left hamstring.

But with Pierce back in the lineup Boston bounced back from a tough start to even out their record at 3-3. Head coach Doc Rivers is working to integrate a number of new players into his system including Brandon Bass, who replaces the minutes “Big Baby” Davis put in before he was shipped south to the Orlando Magic. Bass has given his team an energy boost off the bench and proven that he can make baskets in the clutch, so he should be earning more court time as the taxing season wears on.

YES will bring you live coverage from the TD Garden where the Nets will try to change their luck and the Beantown Boys will play for their fourth straight W at 7:30 PM EST.