The Phoenix Suns got a chance to avenge a 117-107 loss to the Boston Celtics five days ago when they met again on Thursday. Devin Booker, who sat out the said game due to an ankle injury, had been cleared to play. Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal would test the Celtics defense.
Durant and Jayson Tatum engaged in a mano-a-mano contest right off the bat. KD led the visitors with 15 points, while Tatum responded with 14. They continued what they had started the last time they met in Phoenix. Boston led 35-32 after the first 12 minutes ended.
Durant fizzled in the second quarter for the Phoenix Suns, but backup center Bol Bol took up the scoring cudgels with 10 points. Bradley Beal and Devin Booker combined to finish the first half with 21 points, nine assists and four rebounds.
Jaylen Brown took over when Tatum got a breather. JB added 15 second-quarter points. Late in the period, JT once again took it to the visitors by finishing with a flurry of points. He had back-to-back 3-pointers over Kevin Durant that had Boston Celtics fans on their feet.
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After another seesaw battle, Boston remained on top 65-60 heading into the halftime break.
The Boston Celtics uncorked a 9-0 run starting around the 10-minute mark of the third quarter to lead 77-65. Exquisite ball movement, defense and 3-point shooting allowed the Celtics to get their largest advantage in the game.
Kevin Durant continued to struggle for the Phoenix Suns but Bradley Beal and Devin Booker made some much-needed shots. Jusuf Nurkic has been dominant on the boards but the Suns' second-chance points dried up in the third period.
Al Horford went 3-for-5 in 3-pointers in the third frame to lead Boston. Jaylen Brown sustained his steady output and added eight more points. Sam Hauser came in to snipe a couple of crucial baskets. The Celtics led 102-85 with the fourth quarter underway.
The Boston Celtics ran rings around the Phoenix Suns around the perimeter for 25 3-pointers. They overwhelmed the visitors for the second time in two weeks. Behind Jaylen Brown's 37 points and contributions across the roster, the Cs cruised to a 127-112 victory.
Phoenix Suns vs Boston Celtics game player stats and box scores
Phoenix Suns game player stats
Boston Celtics game player stats
Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have 3-pointers tonight
The Phoenix Suns Big 3 went 2-for-8 in 3-pointers in the first half tonight. Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal made one apiece, while Devin Booker missed all four of his attempts.
The Boston Celtics' star duo combined to drop 6-for-10 in 3-pointers during the same stretch. Three of Tatum's four triples came late in the second quarter to push the Celtics to the lead.
Durant, Beal and Booker finished the entire game with a 4-for-14 clip from rainbow distance. Boston's superstars outshot them 9-for-17 from the same range on Thursday night.
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