Phoenix — — On Wednesday night, the Boston Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns 132-102 for the seventh consecutive game thanks to 30 points from Kristaps Porzingis and 24 from Jaylen Brown.
A four-game winning streak for the Suns was ended. With nine games left in the regular season, Phoenix still holds the final slot in the Western Conference play-in round.
Boston grabbed charge in the latter part of the second quarter, going on a 27-6 run to lead 73-54 at the half. In the first quarter, the Celtics made ten 3-pointers while Jayson Tatum was sidelined due to injury.
Porzingis made 10 out of 15 field goals, including 4 out of 5 three-pointers. Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, and Al Horford each contributed sixteen points.
Phoenix was led by Kevin Durant, who scored 30 points on 11 of 16 shots. Devin Booker contributed 10 assists and 14 points.
Tatum had a sprained left ankle against the Kings on Monday, which kept him out of the game. Coach Joe Mazzulla hopes Tatum’s absence won’t last long.
Due to a strained left hamstring, Bradley Beal was not playing for the Suns.
Key Takeaways
Celtics: Boston has won all four of its games by double figures, sweeping the field. In Wednesday’s game, the Celtics had a 34-point lead at one point in the third quarter and a 27-point lead going into the fourth.
Suns: Despite improving their defense recently, Phoenix was unable to stop Boston’s 3-point shooting assault. The Suns’ path to the play-in tournament is perilous due to their extremely challenging schedule in the coming weeks, which includes another matchup with the Celtics.
Crucial moment
In just over four minutes, the Celtics jumped to a 21-9 lead after making seven of their first nine 3-pointers. They never fell behind.
Important statistic
The Suns suffered their second-most lopsided defeat of the season by a 30-point deficit.
Next up
On Saturday, the Celtics visit the Spurs. On Friday, the Suns visit the Timberwolves.