With the defending champs boasting an elite defense and the Clippers continuing their stingy play, Douglas Farmer anticipates a low-scoring clash at the Intuit Dome tonight.

LOS ANGELES — Celtics star Jayson Tatum and Clippers coach Ty Lue know each other well. They’re cousins, after all, which Lue recently revealed a few months ago. So they have a unique relationship in that regard, plus Lue was also an assistant coach for USA Basketball’s run to gold at the Paris Olympics.

The Boston Celtics got key contributions from the bench guys as they narrowly best the Los Angeles Clippers 117-113 in overtime.

Playing without six of their top eight rotation players, Derrick Jones Jr., Kevin Porter Jr and Amir Coffey lead a gutty effort as the hosts push the reigning champs until the end in a 117-113

Amid a grueling stretch of four games in five days, the Clippers chose to sit nearly all of their regulars for the Wednesday matchup with Boston at the Intuit Dome. LA ruled out the following seven players: James Harden (right groin soreness) Kawhi Leonard (right knee injury management) Norman Powell (back soreness) Ivica Zubac (left eye corneal abrasion) Kris Dunn (left knee soreness) Nicolas Batum (right finger soreness) P.