Suns face ‘electrifying’ Celtics with Booker out
The Phoenix Suns enter a challenging five-game stretch starting Saturday night against NBA-leader Boston at Footprint Center.
Facing the NBA’s toughest remaining schedule with 19 games left in their regular season, the Suns (37-26) face the Celtics (48-14) twice in three games with the rematch being Thursday in Boston.
The Celtics have the NBA’s best home record at 29-3.
“They’ve had an incredible year so far,” Kevin Durant said after Thursday’s win over Toronto at Footprint Center. “Best starting five in the league by far.”
Boston has two All-Stars in the starting lineup in Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, an MVP candidate, two of the NBA’s better perimeter defenders in Jrue Holiday, an NBA champion, and Derrick White, and a 7-footer at center in Kristaps Porzingis, who is coming off back-to-back 24-point games.
With that combination of talent, it’s no surprise Boston has the NBA’s best record even after losing their last two games at Cleveland and at Denver, which fell Tuesday at home to the Suns in overtime. The Celtics had won 11 straight before falling to the Cavaliers and Nuggets.
“Boston is electrifying, man,” said Suns' guard Bradley Beal, as Boston is first in the NBA in offensive rating, second in defensive rating, fourth in scoring and fifth in points allowed per game. “It's like, what can't they do? They have size, they have physicality, skill talent. Versatility."
Phoenix hopes to have Devin Booker back by the time they see the Celtics in Boston.
The four-time All-Star is listed as doubtful for Saturday as he’s missed three straight games with a right ankle sprain suffered last week against Houston. Booker did his first on-court work Friday since the injury, Suns coach Frank Vogel said after Friday’s practice.
Following Saturday’s game, Phoenix begins a four-game road trip Monday at Cleveland (40-22), which is third in the East. The Suns have two days between facing the Cavaliers and meeting the Celtics again on Thursday.
This is an ideal time for Booker to return from the injury.
“He’s day-to-day,” Coach Frank Vogel said about Booker “We’re hoping he’ll be back sometime during that trip.”
Phoenix then takes on Charlotte (1547) in the second of a road back-toback before concluding the four-game trip at Milwaukee (41-22), which is second in the East with a home record of 25-7. The Suns won the first matchup against the Bucks, 114-106, Feb. 6 in Phoenix with the Big 3 of Booker, Durant and Beal combining for 85 points.
“The funny part about our team and our schedule is the rest of our year is playoffs team,'' said Beal after Tuesday’s overtime win at Denver. “Almost every single team in the West and a few in the East, we’re getting prepared (for the playoffs).”
The Suns are sixth in the West going into Friday’s games, trailing the Pelicans (37-25) by just a half game, but only a half game ahead of Sacramento (36-26). They could easily rise to fifth and draw closer to the Clippers (40-21), who are fourth in the West and have the seventh toughest remaining schedule, or fall into the play-in.
“I like where we are right now,” Durant said. “I think we can keep growing. That’s the best thing about it is that we still got room to grow as a team. We’re getting more and more comfortable with one another as the days go on. We can only get better.”