Boston Celtics vs Phoenix Suns Prediction: Combined starting 5 featuring Jayson Tatum and Devin Booker

Forward - Mikal Bridges (Phoenix Suns)

Mikal Bridges #25 of the Phoenix Suns.

Mikal Bridges is one of seven Phoenix Suns' players averaging at least 10 points per game in the 2020-21 NBA season.

In his third NBA season, Bridges is having the best year of his career, as he is the third-best scorer in the team. Bridges is averaging 13.9 points per game with solid shooting splits. He has made 48% of his field goals, 38% of his threes (career-high), and 83% of his shots from the FT line.

On the defensive end, Bridges has been impressive. He is leading the team in blocks with 1.1, which is impressive for a 6' 6'' forward.

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Forward - Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics)

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics.

Jayson Tatum's game continues to evolve in the right direction, and the 22-year-old is turning into a superstar right in front of our eyes. Tatum is leading the Boston Celtics in scoring with his 27 points per night.

Tatum's scoring has improved year by year during his four-year NBA career, and he has been consistently progressing as a player. After posting 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists per game last year, he is at 27/7/4 in the current campaign.

His field-goal percentage of 47.6% in the 2020-21 NBA season is the highest of his career with the Boston Celtics so far. Tatum is also attempting a career-high 7.6 three-pointers per game and has made 42% of his shots from deep.

Defensively, he leads the team in Defensive Rating and his 1.4 steals per game are a good sample of his opportunistic defense.

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Center - Deandre Ayton (Phoenix Suns)

Deandre Ayton #22 of the Phoenix Suns.

The number one pick of the 2018 NBA Draft, Deandre Ayton, is performing at a good level in the 2020-21 campaign for the Phoenix Suns. Though his average of points per game (13.9) is the lowest of his NBA career, Ayton has been impactful in other areas of the game.

He is one of the league's best rebounders right now, as his 12.8 boards per night rank fourth in the league. Ayton has been a great defensive presence for the Phoenix Suns and has been the main reason behind the team ranking sixth in Defensive Rating.

Ayton ranks 13th in the entire NBA in Defensive Rating with 105.3 points allowed per 100 possessions. Moreover, his rebounding ability has him fifth in Total Rebound percentage.

On offense, Ayton is efficient, even though his chances have been limited (10 shots per game). He has made 56% of his field goals and 71% of his free throws, which is solid.

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