During Sunday’s NBA action, the Boston Celtics, led by Jayson Tatum’s 29 points and Jaylen Brown’s 27, secured a 117-107 win against the Phoenix Suns.
This victory was particularly significant as it halted a rare two-game losing streak for the Celtics, ensuring they did not suffer three consecutive defeats. Boston’s record now stands at an impressive 49-14.
“We’re not perfect. We try to be, we really do try,” Tatum said. “But we make mistakes. This is a tough league, the other teams are really good and have great players. It’s all about how you respond. You want to be a special team, you’ve got to do a good job responding.”
Tatum shared how the Celtics utilized their off day in Phoenix, engaging in golf and basking in the sun, to regroup and focus on returning to their winning ways.
“Today, we bounced back in a positive way,” Tatum said.
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The Suns, missing their All-Star Devin Booker, saw Kevin Durant stepping up with a season-high 45 points, supported by Bradley Beal’s 25 points and Jusuf Nurkic’s double-double. Despite their efforts, the Suns couldn’t overcome the Celtics’ lead.
“I just wanted to be aggressive, play through anything,” Durant said. “I was able to knock some shots down and loosen the defense. We were right there so many times, but they made big plays coming out of time outs.”
The Celtics maintained control throughout the game, buoyed by Brown’s first-half performance and never trailing in the second half. They managed to fend off a third-quarter rally by the Suns, maintaining their lead into the final quarter.
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Boston also benefited from strong bench contributions, notably from Luke Kornet and Payton Pritchard, praised by coach Joe Mazzulla for their impact on the game.
“They were amazing, they were tremendous,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. “I thought Payton changed the game with his defense.”
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With Booker’s absence due to a sprained ankle, the Suns looked to keep pace in the Western Conference race, aiming to secure a direct spot in the playoffs without going through the play-in tournament.
“I thought we battled, I’m proud of how hard we fought,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said. ”I didn’t like how many loose balls we weren’t getting at the beginning of the game – got to have more urgency against a team with the best record in the NBA. But I thought we caught ourselves and played a spirited game throughout the rest of it.”
