Boston secured victory on defense, restricting Phoenix’s second-chance points and scoring 11 off Suns turnovers. Defensive efficiency was of particular significance given that John Havlicek missed most of the second quarter due to a sprained ankle.
Holiday executed an effortless run out of a HORNS set to connect on an open three and give the Celtics a 117-107 advantage with under two minutes left on the clock.
In this article, we will discuss the high lights or top players list of Phoenix Suns Vs Boston Celtics Match Player Stats.
Phoenix Suns Starting Lineup:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Point Guard | Tyus Jones |
| Shooting Guard | Devin Booker |
| Small Forward | Ryan Dunn |
| Power Forward | Kevin Durant |
| Center | Jusuf Nurkić |
Boston Celtics Starting Lineup:
| Position | Player |
|---|---|
| Point Guard | Jrue Holiday |
| Shooting Guard | Derrick White |
| Small Forward | Jaylen Brown |
| Power Forward | Jayson Tatum |
| Center | Kristaps Porziņģis |
Devin Booker
On Saturday night, the Celtics broke a three-game losing streak by defeating the Suns 117-107. Both teams were limited to ten points or less in the paint and managed only 30 second-chance points between them; Boston’s ball movement and defense proved pivotal as they held onto an advantage through most of the fourth quarter.
Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns scored 27 points despite their loss on Tuesday, shooting 11-of-19 from the field and 11-of-19 from three-point range. Booker continues his playoff chase for Phoenix against Memphis this Wednesday; however, due to a lower back contusion he may only play two or less minutes on this back-to-back set.
Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns is one of the youngest players ever in NBA history to score 6,000 career points, being selected 13th overall from Kentucky during 2015 draft season and making four All-Star Game appearances as part of Devin Booker Starting 5 initiative and Special Olympics Global Ambassador program. Furthermore, Booker plays an instrumental role in community outreach with recent activation including opening new Special Olympics Arizona facility – having had strong relationships with this organization for more than ten years!
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum scored 21 points and grabbed six rebounds in his return from injury, helping the Celtics limit the Suns’ second-chance opportunities and turnovers. Additionally, he blocked two shots, including one by Kornet in the third quarter. During this game, Brown hit his 1000th three-pointer of his career; joining Paul Pierce and Jayson Tatum as members of team history with more than 1000 triples made.
In the fourth, he hit a deep three over Booker before attacking the basket on a one-handed slam and ending his fast break with a lob pass to Roddy White who made a three from the corner.
Tatum recorded his inaugural postseason triple-double against the Nets in Game 1, becoming only the third player in franchise history (joining Rajon Rondo and Larry Bird) to achieve this feat in one playoff game. Tatum averaged 21.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 4.8 assists per game during 2017-2018 season while being an outstanding defender and possessing great court vision; many believe he may become an NBA superstar of tomorrow.
Al Horford
Horford helped the Celtics hold off an late Suns rally and claim a 117-107 win, becoming one of the dominant players on both ends of the floor and helping Boston avoid its first three-game losing streak of the season. Horford finished the game with 22 points and 15 rebounds for Boston.
Horford scored four points during a 13-0 Boston run that put them up 110-102 with two minutes left, taking advantage of his textbook execution from a HORNS set by getting into the paint, drawing corner defenders away, then finding Holiday open for three-point shots that further extended Boston’s advantage.
Horford is the oldest player on the current Celtics roster and he has been instrumental in their success this season. As their starting center and key cog in defensive operations, Horford can stretch defenses with long arms while leading pick-and-roll play effectively.
The Celtics bench boasts an abundance of talented role players, led by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Other important names on their squad include Bradley Beal, Al Horford and Jusuf Nurkic.
Jrue Holiday
The Boston Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns 117-107 for a third straight home win and moved closer to taking over the Eastern Conference lead by one game. Additionally, this result pushed their record up to 49-14.
Devin Booker of the Suns returned to action, testing Jayson Tatum and Bradley Beal of the Celtics early in the first half. However, Boston quickly established an 18-point lead by halftime and kept their momentum alive through to victory in the second.
Jrue Holiday will miss Friday’s game against the Pacers as he deals with right shoulder impingement, giving Al Horford another start and Payton Pritchard possibly more playing time than expected.
He’s an outstanding defender, almost never taking chances on offense and adept at reading the floor to find ways to defend his man most efficiently. His discipline sets him apart from other elite perimeter defenders in the league and could easily land him a spot in the Hall of Fame.
Jaylen Brown
Jaylen Brown played an integral part in Boston’s success, showing impressive offensive and defensive versatility during the opening quarter to keep Phoenix away from scoring, giving Boston a 41-26 advantage heading into the second period.
In the third quarter, the Celtics went on an unprecedented 9-0 run to extend their advantage to 77-60 and put Jaylen Brown in position to score 20 points and grab 10 rebounds during that stretch.
In the fourth quarter, the Celtics maintained control of the game. They limited Suns three-point shooting to just a single three-pointer while keeping both teams’ second chance point totals low. Furthermore, Jusuf Nurkic excelled on the boards to help maintain their lead late in the contest.
Grayson Allen
Grayson Allen has never shied away from hard work. That determination earned him a McDonald’s All-American award in high school, state championship title and scholarship to Duke. Now in the NBA, that same mentality has helped Allen find a spot as fifth starter for Phoenix Suns this season; earning him nicknames such as G-money and Deebo while making him popular across both sides of the court.
After a tight first half, Boston went on an 8-0 run starting around 10 minutes into the third quarter to pull away. Their masterful ball movement, defensive play and 3-point shooting enabled them to open their largest advantage yet of the game.
While Devin Booker’s turnovers and poor shooting from long range proved costly to them, their second unit made all the difference for them. Luke Kornet delivered one of his finest performances of the year while Jayson Tatum, Bradley Beal and Jrue Holiday all contributed with key plays off the bench.
Jusuf Nurkic
After missing several games due to injury, Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic returned to action against Charlotte Hornets on Wednesday. Acquired from Phoenix shortly before trade deadline in exchange for Nick Richards and two second-round draft picks, Nurkic played 23 minutes in his return appearance with Charlotte Hornets.
The Suns managed to keep pace with Boston early, but their offensive efficiency decreased in the second quarter when their opponent struggled against their defense. Luckily, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown provided strong contributions that helped Boston overcome these difficulties.
Durant cut the deficit to three points early in the fourth, but a flawless HORNS set execution led to Al Horford knocking down a corner three-pointer with 1:54 remaining and giving Boston an eight-point advantage.
The Boston Celtics kept themselves alive in the playoff hunt on Monday night when they defeated Utah at home, extending their win streak to four and maintaining a six-point advantage over eighth seeded. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown each recorded double-doubles while key contributions came from other sources on their bench despite Kristaps Porzingis missing his fourth consecutive game due to an injured hamstring suffered at Utah.