Lakers vs. Celtics Draws 4.6M Viewers in 1st NBA Rivalry Matchup with Luka and LeBron

The Los Angeles Lakers' first game against the rival Boston Celtics with LeBron James and Luka Dončić together on the floor drew a massive audience.

The NBA announced on Tuesday that Saturday night's matchup on ABC averaged 4.61 million viewers, making it the most watched regular-season game in seven years excluding Christmas Day matchups. The game peaked at 5.3 million viewers and was the most watched prime-time program on Saturday night.

While the partnership between James and Dončić had paid dividends for the Lakers for the past few weeks, the team had its momentum halted with a 111-101 loss to the Celtics that ended its eight-game winning streak. Dončić had a team-high 34 points and James added 22 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists before exiting midway through the fourth quarter with a groin injury.

It was Boston's fourth straight win, as the defending NBA champions continue to look like the favorite to win the title. Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum had a special performance with 40 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, two steals and a block in the victory. Star guard Jaylen Brown added 31 points, six rebounds and three steals.

Saturday's game was the final regular-season meeting between Boston and Los Angeles. The two teams split their two matchups 1-1, so it's intriguing to imagine another potential NBA Finals meeting between the league's winningest franchises.

The Lakers followed up their loss to the Celtics with a disappointing showing in a 111-108 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday. Meanwhile, the Celtics ran their winning streak to five by defeating the Utah Jazz 114-108. Los Angeles will look to get back on track when it meets the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday, while Boston will take on the Oklahoma City Thunder in a marquee matchup on Wednesday.