Phoenix Suns (35-41) at Boston Celtics (56-20) Game #77 4/4/25

The Celtics look to get again on observe as they host the Phoenix Suns. That is the 2nd and remaining sport between these two groups this season. The Celtics received the primary sport 132-102 on their latest street journey. The Celtics received the sequence 2-0 final season. The Celtics are 78-60 general all time and 43-24 in video games performed in Boston.

The Suns saved their core of stars collectively from final season with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal and Grayson Allen all getting back from final 12 months’s group. They fired head coach Frank Vogel and employed Mike Budenholzer to interchange him. They signed Ryan Dunn to a rookie contract and signed free brokers Oso Ighodaro, Mason Plumlee, Monte Mooris and Tyus Jones. On the commerce deadlinet they traded Josh Okogie to Charlotte for Nick Richards and waived EJ Liddell and Nassir Little. In addition they traded Jusuf Nurkic to Charlotte for Cody Martin and Vasa Micic.

The Celtics stay 2nd within the East. They’re 5 video games behind 1st place Cleveland. They’re 8 video games forward of third place New York and 11 video games forward of 4th place Indiana. They’re 24-13 at dwelling and 9-1 of their final 10 video games. They’re 21-8 in opposition to Western Convention groups. They’re coming off a loss of their final sport after successful their earlier 9 video games.

The Suns have fallen to eleventh within the West, 29 video games behind first place Oklahoma Metropolis. They’re 1 sport behind tenth place Sacramento and a couple of.5 video games behind ninth place Dallas. They’re 2 video games forward of twelfth place Portland. The Suns are 12-26 on the street and they’re 5-5 of their final 10 video games. They’re 14-14 in opposition to Jap Convention groups and have misplaced their final 4 video games.

The Celtics simply accomplished the primary 6-0 street journey in Celtics historical past. The misplaced their first sport again at dwelling 124-103 to the Warmth. After this sport in opposition to Phoenix at dwelling they’ll head again on the street for again to again video games at New York and at Orlando. They are going to end the season with 2 video games in opposition to the Charlotte Hornets at dwelling.

The Suns are enjoying within the 2nd sport of a 3 sport street journey. They misplaced to Milwaukee within the first sport and have had 2 days off. They are going to shut out the street journey in New York on Sunday. They end the season with video games at dwelling in opposition to Golden State, Oklahoma Metropolis, and San Antonio earlier than a remaining sport at Sacramento.

Kristaps Porzingis missed Wednesday’s sport as a consequence of return-from-illness reconditioning. Al Horford additionally sat out Wednesday to relaxation his sprained toe. Jrue Vacation was additionally out on Wednesday as a consequence of shoulder soreness. All 3 are at the moment off the harm report. Jaylen Brown performed Wednesday however is questionable with knee soreness that has been hampering him for a number of video games now.

For the Phoenix Suns, Bradley Beal has been out with a hamstring harm since March 16. He’s returning for this sport and I’m going to guess that he’ll return to the beginning lineup. Nonetheless, they could choose to ease him in off the bench. The Suns get one star again and lose one other as Kevin Durant might be out for this sport with a sprained ankle.

Possible Celtics Starters

Grid View

Celtics ReservesPayton PritchardNeemias QuetaBaylor ScheiermanJordan WalshLuke KornetTorrey CraigSam HauserAl HorfordXavier Tillman, Sr

2 Manner PlayersJD DavisonDrew PetersonMiles Norris

Accidents/OutJaylen Brown (knee) questionable

Head CoachJoe Mazzulla

Possible Suns Starters

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Suns Reserves Bol Bol Oso IghodaroTyus Jones Damion Lee Cody MartinVasa MicicMonte MorrisRoyce O’Neale Mason Plumlee

Two Manner PlayersCollin GillespieJalen BridgesTyTy Washington, Jr

Accidents/OutKevin Durant (ankle) out

Head CoachMike Budenholzer

Key Matchups

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Jrue Vacation


Photograph by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Photographs

Devin Booker


Photograph by Christian Petersen/Getty Photographs

Jrue Vacation vs Devin Booker Booker is averaging 25.5 factors, 4.1 rebounds, 7.1 assists, and 1.0 steals per sport. He’s capturing 45.6% from the sector and 33.8% from past the arc. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics, he completed with 14 factors, 7 rebounds, and 10 assists whereas capturing 30.8% from the sector and 16.7% from past the arc. Booker can put up numerous factors in a rush as he confirmed in his 70 level sport on the TD Backyard in 2017.

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Derrick White


Photograph by Chris Coduto/Getty Photographs

Bradley Beal


Photograph by Chris Coduto/Getty Photographs

Derrick White vs Bradley Beal Beal is averaging 17.3 factors, 3.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1 steal per sport. He’s capturing 50.5% from the sector and 39.5% from past the arc. Beal missed the primary sport in opposition to the Celtics in Phoenix. I’m anticipating him to maneuver again into the beginning lineup, nevertheless it’s attainable he comes off the bench.

Honorable MentionJaylen Brown vs Grayson AllenI’m guessing that Allen will begin rather than Durant. He’s averaging 10.4 factors, 3.0 rebounds, and a couple of.1 assists per sport. He’s capturing 44.6% from the sector and 43.1% from past the arc. Within the first sport in opposition to the Celtics, he got here off the bench and completed with simply 2 factors, 1 rebound, 1 help, and 1 steal whereas not hitting a area purpose. He is an efficient 3 level shooter and so the Celtics must defend him on the perimeter.

Keys to the Sport Protection – Protection is all the time a key to successful. The Celtics have a defensive ranking of 110.6 (fifth) and the Suns have a defensive ranking of 117.5 (twenty seventh). The Suns take 37.7 threes per sport shoot 38.4% from past the arc. The Celtics allowed the Warmth to shoot 51.8% from the sector and 46.7% from past the arc. They should do a lot better on protection on this sport. The Suns are an excellent capturing group and the Celtics might want to up their protection in the event that they need to beat them.

Rebound – The Celtics must rebound on the offensive finish to offer themselves additional possessions and to stop the Suns from racking up quick break factors. In addition they need to crash the boards on the defensive finish to stop the Suns from getting tip ins and second likelihood factors. The Celtics are tenth with 45.0 rebounds per sport whereas the Suns are twenty fifth with 42.6 rebounds per sport. Rebounding is all about effort and the Celtics are going to need to put out additional effort to win the battle of the boards.

Be Aggressive – The Celtics have to return out and be aggressive proper from the opening tip. They need to be aggressive on protection, driving to the basket, rebounding, diving for unfastened balls and simply enjoying tougher typically. They should get off to a robust begin and play laborious proper up till the ultimate buzzer. They will’t let the Suns outwork them for any time frame as a result of even the perfect group within the league can lose to the worst in the event that they don’t play with effort.

Transfer the Ball Fastidiously – The Celtics want to maneuver the ball in an effort to discover the perfect shot on every possession. When the ball sticks and gamers attempt to do an excessive amount of, the Celtics battle. They’re at their greatest after they cross the ball and maintain it shifting. ISO ball just isn’t normally successful ball. The Celtics are 41-2 after they have extra assists than their opponent however simply 13-17 after they have fewer assists than their opponent. Towards the Warmth, they’d simply 24 assists to twenty-eight for the Warmth. They should maintain the ball shifting and discover the open man.

X-FactorsHome Sport – The Celtics are at dwelling the place they need to get a lift from the house crowd. They should give attention to the sport and acquire motivation from having the followers behind them. The Suns are enjoying within the 2nd sport of a 3 sport street journey and needs to be coping with distractions from journey, staying in a resort, and enjoying in a hostile area in addition to fatigue from touring. The Celtics want to guard dwelling courtroom and are available out able to play laborious.

Officiating – I do know that I say this each sport, however the officiating all the time has the likelihood to be an x-factor in each sport. Each crew calls the sport otherwise, whether or not they name each little ticky tack foul or they let numerous contact go and let the groups play. Some refs favor the house group and a few name for each groups evenly. The Celtics have gotten to regulate to the way in which the sport is being referred to as and never enable the officiating to remove from their focus.

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