Everything you need to know about the Celtics’ 102-94 win over the Suns in quickie form.
Box score
HEADLINES
Staying hot without Kyrie: The competition was not formidable (the Suns have lost 12 straight games and have the worst record in the league) but the Celtics managed to fight off fatigue (third games in four nights) to extend their winning streak to four. Jayson Tatum (team-high 23 points) did most of his damage during a hot first quarter, while Al Horford (19 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists) managed to get the Celtics back on track in the second half after the shorthanded Celtics relinquished a 20-point first half lead. Josh Jackson had a team-high 23 points for the Suns in the defeat. With the win, the Celtics closed to within three games of the Raptors for the top seed in the East.
Marcus Morris sprains ankle again:
The veteran forward was having himself a night against his former team before bad injury luck hit again.
After lighting up the Suns for 20 points in just 23 minutes Morris landed on the foot of Troy Daniels after putting up a 3-point shot in the closing seconds of the third quarter. He left the game immediately after hitting his free throw attempts and did not return in the fourth quarter. After missing Sunday’s game in Sacramento with a sprain of the same right ankle, it’s possible that Morris could be hobbled for some time.
TURNING POINT
After the Suns tied up the game midway through the third quarter, the Celtics reasserted control with an 11-2 run that helped them push the lead back towards double-digits. Phoenix got no closer than six points the rest of the way.
TWO UP
Tatum:
The rookie became the ninth player in franchise history to hit the 1,000 point mark on the season. He also scored 20-plus points for the tenth time this year, the highest mark for a Celtic rookie since Paul Pierce back in 1999. Tatum also continues to be very efficient with his shot over the last couple weeks, shooting over 55 percent from the field for the fourth time in the past five games despite attempting 18 shots on Monday night.
Morris:
The 28-year-old was 6-of-8 from the field and 3-of-4 from 3-point range before he went down with an ankle injury. He also scored 20 points for the third straight game, the first time he’s done that in his seven-year career. Morris is also shooting 49 percent from 3-point range during the month of March.
TWO DOWN
Shane Larkin:
An ugly shooting night (1-of-8 from field) happens from time-to-time but the bigger issues for Larkin in this one came on the defensive end. Suns reserve point guard Tyler Ulis wreaked havoc against Larkin and the C’s defense all night with his speed and shot creation. He drove past Larkin on a regular basis while posting 19 points and eight assists off the pine.
Terry Rozier inside the arc:
He kept his double-digit scoring streak going, but didn’t do it very efficiently. The point guard missed all five of his attempts from inside the arc and shot an ugly 25 percent from the field (4-of-16) on the night in what was a disappointing performance overall by the C’s backcourt.
TOP PLAY
TWO TAKES B-ROBB WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
The Celtics will wrap up the No. 2 seed ahead of schedule:
The C’s magic number to clinch the No. 2 spot is down to three and given how shorthanded they are right now, they can’t hit that number soon enough. This team seemingly can’t go more than another game or two without adding to the injury list, with Morris being the latest casualty on Monday night. With a tough first round battle looming, rest and good health is going to be essential for the veterans on this roster. Brad Stevens can’t afford to take his foot off the gas yet, but a successful trip ensures that he’ll be able to give guys extended rests in the next couple weeks, as needed.
Josh Jackson looks like a keeper for the Suns:
Celtics fans will never be too upset with him over skipping out on a last-minute workout for Boston (thanks to Tatum), but Jackson looks like he will be a force in the NBA for years to come. The jump shot needs some work, but his athleticism and shot creation is far ahead of what was expected for the 21-year-old out of Kansas. If the Suns land a big man stud in this draft class, a core of Devin Booker, Jackson and rookie x could be the start of something promising in Phoenix for years to come.
