The Boston Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns 127-112 on Thursday night. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 37 points, with Jayson Tatum adding 26. Boston has now won four straight games to improve its leading NBA record to 52-14. After beating the Washington Wizards on Sunday, the Celtics host the Detroit Pistons on Monday.
Suns vs. Celtics post-game statistical analysis for March 14
Entering the game, the Celtics were on top of the Eastern Conference and their division with a record of 51-14. This was Boston’s first home game following a five-game road trip. The team went 3-2 for that stretch, winning the last three in a row. The Celtics were averaging 120.8 points per game, which ranked second in the league, and giving up 109.6. As for the NBA Finals, the Celtics betting odds still list them as the favorite.
The Suns were 38-27 and 7th place in the Western Conference heading into Thursday. The game versus the Celtics was the second of a four-game road swing. Phoenix pulled out a 117-111 road win over the Cleveland Cavaliers to begin the trip. Prior to the game, the Suns were averaging 117 points per game and allowing 114.3.
| Team Statistics | Phoenix Suns | Boston Celtics |
|---|---|---|
| Points | 112 | 127 |
| Rebounds | 51 | 33 |
| Assists | 27 | 31 |
| Field Goals | 47-99 | 47-89 |
| Field Goal % | 47.5 | 52.8 |
| Three Pointers | 11-31 | 25-50 |
| Three Point % | 35.5 | 50.0 |
| Free Throws | 7-10 | 8-11 |
| Free Throw % | 70.0 | 72.7 |
| Turnovers | 14 | 10 |
Betting recap for Suns vs. Celtics (3/14/24)
Despite the Celtics being without Kristaps Porzingis for Thursday’s game, Boston took an early 35-32 lead after a tight first quarter. They kept the momentum going into halftime with a five-point lead, extending the margin to 17 points in the third quarter and rolling to an ultimate 127-112 victory. The NBA odds had Boston as the pre-game favorite, and it covered the spread of -5.5, while the total went over the line of 226.5.
Suns vs. Celtics player highlights
Phoenix Suns leaders from Thursday’s loss to Boston
The Suns had four players finish with at least 20 points, led by guard Devin Booker’s 23. Bradley Beal added 22 points, while Kevin Durant added 20. Here are the Suns’ leaders from their loss to Boston on Thursday:
- Devin Booker (SG): 23 PTS, 2 RBS, 7 ASTS
- Bradley Beal (SG): 22 PTS, 3 RBS, 7 ASTS
- Kevin Durant (PF): 20 PTS, 3 RBS, 1 AST
- Grayson Allen (SG): 20 PTS, 3 RBS, 0 ASTS
- Bol Bol (C): 20 PTS, 3 RBS, 0 ASTS
Boston Celtics leaders from Thursday’s win over Phoenix
Even without Kristaps Porzingis playing, Boston had three players score at least 24 points. Jaylen Brown returned from a one-game absence to finish with a game-high 37 points. Jayson Tatum added 26, and Al Horford chipped in 24. Here are the top five leaders from the Celtics’ win over Phoenix on Thursday:
- Jaylen Brown (SG): 37 PTS, 5 RBS, 3 ASTS
- Jayson Tatum (SF): 26 PTS, 5 RBS, 5 ASTS
- Al Horford (C): 24 PTS, 3 RBS, 3 ASTS
- Derrick White (PG): 13 PTS, 8 RBS, 5 ASTS
- Jrue Holiday (PG): 9 PTS, 0 RBS, 10 ASTS
