BSJ Live Coverage: Celtics at Suns 9:00 p.m. - Short-handed Phoenix welcomes Boston

BOSTON CELTICS (37-19) at PHOENIX SUNS (33-25)

Location: Mortgage Matchup Center, Phoenix, Ariz.

Game time: 9:00 p.m.

TV: NBC Sports Boston

Radio: 98.5 The Sports Hub

Celtics injury report:

• Jaylen Brown - OUT (right knee contusion)

• Max Shulga - OUT (G League, two-way)

• Tatum, Jayson Out Injury/Illness - Right Achilles; Repair

• Amari Williams - DOUBTFUL (G League, on assignment)

Suns injury report:

• Grayson Allen - QUESTIONABLE (right knee & ankle injury management)

• Cole Anthony - OUT (not with team)

• Devin Booker - OUT (right hip strain)

• Dillon Brooks - OUT (left hand fracture)

• Jordan Goodwin - OUT (left calf strain)

• Haywood Highsmith - OUT (right knee injury management)

What to watch for: The Boston Celtics are one of the hottest teams in the NBA. They’ve won three in a row but are also 8-2 in their last 10 games.

They’ll be in Arizona for a matchup with the Phoenix Suns, who have been one of the surprise teams, alongside the Celtics, of this year’s NBA season.

Tale of the tape: This will be the first meeting between these two teams this season.

Last game: Boston is fresh off a monster win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday night. Payton Pritchard absolutely torched the Lakers, scoring 32  points (and screaming into the rafters of Crypto.com Arena).

Jaylen Brown also managed to pour in 32 points as the Celtics held the Luka Doncic-led Lakers to a mere 89 points.

Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez did a phenomenal job defending Doncic, and the Celtics spent the entire evening out-hustling the Lakers in every facet of the game.

Standings check-in: The Celtics’ win over the Lakers kept them in second place in the Eastern Conference, but they are not a bit closer to the one seed.

The Detroit Pistons’ recent loss to the San Antonio Spurs means that Boston is just five games back of first place now. Simultaneously, they remain a full game ahead of the third-place New York Knicks.

Suns check-in: As noted, the Suns have been one of the biggest surprises of the season. Jordan Ott is a top Coach of the Year candidate, as Phoenix has managed to stay in the playoff picture despite trading Kevin Durant this past offseason.

Devin Booker, who will not play against the Celtics on Tuesday night, has been playing well, but it's his supporting cast that has stood out the most.

Dillon Brooks, who Phoenix got back in the Durant deal (and who is also out on Tuesday), has been an integral part of the team’s success. Grayson Allen, Collin Gillespie, and Mark Williams have also been major pieces in Ott’s rotation.

Allen has been leading the team in scoring lately, going for 21.6 points per contest in his last five appearances. Over that stretch, he’s shooting 41.2% from the field and 37.5% from deep on 11.2 three-point attempts per contest.

Jalen Green, who has been dealing with a hamstring issue, has begun playing somewhat regularly as of late. In his last six games, he’s averaging 14.3 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.7 assists while shooting 36.2% from the floor and 26.7% from deep on 7.5 three-point attempts.

One fun play: This play is fun for a couple of reasons.

First, the pick-and-roll. Neemias Queta sets a screen for Derrick White, taking Austin Reaves out of the play and forcing Deandre Ayton to step up.

But as soon as he does, Queta rolls hard to the rim. And since LA’s corner help defenders are actually guys they are trying to keep out of the play, it doesn’t go well.

The second reason the play is fun is because of the poster.

Poster dunks are always fun.