Adam Williams presents his prediction for the NBA match.
The Boston Celtics saw their eight-game winning streak snapped in their last outing against the Miami Heat (103:123). That impressive run had included a dominant performance over the Phoenix Suns (132:102) in Arizona. This time, the Suns will look to take a page from Erik Spoelstra’s playbook and seek retribution at TD Garden.
Boston Celtics
Should there be concern over such a heavy defeat for the Boston Celtics? The answer is clearly no when examining the underlying factors. This team leads the league in three-point attempts and their offensive output heavily depends on perimeter shooting. Against the Miami Heat, the Celtics hit just 12 of 43 from beyond the arc, with no player able to find rhythm. For instance, Jayson Tatum converted only four of his 17 shots. Is a repeat of such a shooting slump likely? Highly unlikely. Over their last six games, the Celtics have averaged 122.1 points per game.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns have now suffered four consecutive losses and trail the tenth-placed the Sacramento Kings by one win. Kevin Durant remains out due to injury, and the team has struggled on the defensive end in his absence. Alarmingly, even against teams not renowned for offensive output such as the Houston Rockets and the Milwaukee Bucks, they have allowed 148 and 133 points respectively. These numbers are less surprising when considering that the Suns currently rank 22nd in the league for defensive efficiency, conceding an average of 116.6 points per game and allowing opponents 90.4 field goal attempts per contest.
Boston Celtics vs Phoenix Suns Prediction
After losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics responded with five straight victories. Before that, a defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder was followed by an eight-game winning streak. The Celtics have consistently shown the ability to respond effectively to setbacks. It is therefore unlikely that they will suffer back-to-back losses. Expect the Celtics to produce a strong offensive performance once again.
