PHOENIX — The Boston Celtics couldn't buy a bucket in the first quarter on Tuesday night. They stopped in Arizona for a game against the Phoenix Suns, but despite their impressive hustle, shots just wouldn't fall.
They shot 3-of-15 from deep range in the first quarter, as the Suns jumped out to a 26-21 lead. But the results didn't match the process for Boston.
Ron Harper Jr. led a furious attack on the offensive glass, grabbing four of his own in the first half. Phoenix was getting beat to the boards left and right, but the Celtics couldn't convert on their second-chance opportunities.
In the first half alone, the Celtics grabbed 13 offensive rebounds, but shot just 5-of-14 on second-chance opportunities.
The only guy who had any sort of rhythm in the first half was Derrick White, who enjoyed one of his best offensive showings in recent memory.
He put up 18 points, four rebounds, and three assists in the third while shooting 7-of-13 from the field and 4-of-9 from deep.
Meanwhile, the Suns were making some tough shots. Boston's defense was good, but Phoenix still put up 46 first-half points. The Celtics went into halftime up just four.
Then, the third quarter happened.
All of the shots that the Celtics missed in the first half began to fall in bunches.
Sam Hauser led the pack, catching fire from beyond the arc. He shot 3-of-7 from distance in the third quarter, finishing the frame with 13 points. And his teammates fell in line right behind him.
Though he didn't score much, Baylor Scheierman absolutely dominated the third quarter. He grabbed six rebounds in the third, and even though he didn't tally an assist, he started almost every break for Boston. And they capitalized on most of those chances.
His defense was incredible, too. At one point, the Suns had a chance to run in transition, but Scheierman tracked the guy down, held him off with solid defense, and gave Harper enough time to sprint back for a chasedown block. Boston scored on the ensuing break, the Suns called a timeout, and Scheierman screamed into the ether.
From midway through the second to late in the third, Boston enjoyed a 50-11 run that put them ahead.
But the final few minutes of the third (and the first two of the fourth) weren't as pretty. The Suns got a bit too comfortable on offense, and the Celtics' run-and-gun offense couldn't flow.
Poor defensive positioning, bad shot selection, and untimely fouls allowed the Suns to start sneaking their way back into the game.
That didn't last forever, though. Phoenix made a small run, but Boston settled down quickly. They got back to relying on their principles defensively, and they pushed their lead back up to almost 30.
By the 3:56-mark, John Tonje and Dalano Banton were able to make their season debuts for the Celtics.
The Jaylen Brown-less Celtics walked away with a monster win in Phoenix, extending their win streak to four.
And for the third time this road trip, Boston got 'Let's Go Celtics' chants on the roads. (The Suns' in-arena sound guy even tried blasting sound effects to drown it out, but it didn't work.)
Big winner: It's been a tough offensive year for