LOS ANGELES — It was Boston vs. Boston on Wednesday night.

The Clippers were fortunate their version – in the form of 20-year-old rookie Brandon Boston Jr. – helped them build a buffer large enough to withstand a spirited Celtics rally and their own mountain of mistakes for a 114-111 victory at Staples Center.

Boston, the 51st overall draft pick out of Chatsworth’s Sierra Canyon High School, scored 18 of his career-high and team-high 27 points in the Clippers’ 39-point second quarter – a midgame outpouring of which the Clippers needed every drop.

They led 112-111 with 9.3 seconds left before Ivica Zubac’s two free throws finally put away a hard-fought win.

Paired with Monday’s win in Portland, it’s the first time the Clippers (14-12) have won consecutive games since their seven-game winning streak that ended Nov. 14, before which their record was 8-4. Coach Tyronn Lue’s team now is 6-8 since.

For Boston, the team, it was the second loss at Staples Center in as many nights; they’d stumbled against the Lakers, 117-102, in the building on Tuesday.

It was a heartening victory for the Clippers, who were without their two best players. Kawhi Leonard remains sidelined as he recovers from a torn ACL and Paul George was ruled out shortly before tipoff on Wednesday because of right elbow pain.

In their place, a new star shone.

Boston finished with 27 points on 9-for-13 shooting, including making five of his eight 3-point attempts and all four of his free throws.

The youngster mixed it up with unabashed moxie, drawing a technical foul for taunting Marcus Smart and a Flagrant 1 for clearing space with his sharp elbows and sending Celtics defender Grant Williams to the deck.

Nicolas Batum played for the first time in nine games; never mind that he hadn’t played since Nov. 19, the savvy veteran filled in for George, starting in his first game back. He left the court and returned to the locker room in the third period after injuring his right ankle, but he returned not long after and finished without a point in 15 calming minutes.

The Clippers’ lead ballooned to 21 points – 76-55 – with 7:17 left in the third quarter, at which point Jayson Tatum spearheaded an 18-2 Celtics run that chopped the lead to a mere five points in fewer than five minutes, getting the half of the 17,064-fan-strong crowd comprised of Boston fans riled up.

Tatum scored 12 of his 29 points (on 9-for-20 shooting) in the third quarter as the Celtics (13-13) entered the final period trailing 87-78.

The Celtics drew back within five points with 3:59 left in the fourth quarter, 102-97. But consecutive 3-pointers from Reggie Jackson (17 points) and Luke Kennard (15 points) built the buffer back up to eight points.

Celtics coach Ime Udoka successfully challenged an out-of-bounds call, giving his team possession with 1:28 remaining and the Clippers ahead, 108-103. Dennis Schröder’s 3-point attempt missed, but Tatum ripped the ball away from Mann and muscled his way to the rim to slice the margin to three points.

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Morris (20 points) knocked down his second 3-pointer of the night to make it 111-105 before Tatum scored his final six points to trim the Clippers’ lead to one.

With George cheerleading on the bench, Jackson was a necessarily aggressive shot-taker, putting up 22 shots – one shy of his season-high.

After a 15-game layoff to strengthen his ailing knee, Marcus Morris Sr. continued to chip in a bunch, finishing with 20 points – his fourth consecutive game scoring 17 or more.

In his first start this season, Terance Mann turbo-started matters for the hosts. He scored eight of his 10 points in the first quarter, when the third-year wing was 4 for 4 with five rebounds, an assist and a steal. He finished with 10 rebounds in 32 minutes.

More to come on this story.