The Phoenix Suns face the Boston Celtics on Monday night at TD Garden, aiming to rebound from a recent loss during their road trip. Boston looks to build on its latest win and maintain its strong Eastern Conference standing.
The Phoenix Suns (39-28) continue a six-game road trip against the Boston Celtics (44-23) at 7:30 p.m. ET. Phoenix holds seventh place in the Western Conference, 1.5 games behind the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves for a top-six playoff spot. The Suns saw their four-game winning streak end with a 122-115 defeat to the Toronto Raptors on Friday night. Suns rank 26th in scoring at 112.5 points per game. Boston, second in the East and four games behind the Detroit Pistons while one game ahead of the New York Knicks, defeated the Washington Wizards 111-100 on Saturday to avoid a three-game skid. The Celtics lead the NBA in defense, allowing 107 points per game, and rank 20th in scoring at 114.2 points. Boston has won five straight games against Phoenix, including a 97-81 victory in Phoenix last month. The teams combined for 178 points in that contest, though Phoenix's last three games each exceeded 231 points. Consensus odds list the Celtics as 8.5-point favorites. Projections indicate potential for a higher-scoring affair.