Bradley Beal’s return from a hamstring injury didn’t go as planned in the Phoenix Suns’ 123-103 loss to the Boston Celtics on Friday night at TD Garden. The Suns star played 30 minutes but finished with just one point, going 0-for-7 from the field, including 0-for-3 from beyond the arc.
Following the game, Beal shared his frustration and reflected on the mental challenge he faced during his performance. “Mentally kind of messing with myself,” Beal said, via ClutchPoints. “Just teetering with do I full throttle this thing and try to go, but I don’t want to do anything that puts me back or hinders anything. It’s just a mental thing. I’m past it now, hopefully.”
Beal expressed that he is past the worst of it and feels more comfortable with his ability to explode on the court. “Got that game out the way and just know that I feel good. I can be explosive. I can explore it a lot more than what I did tonight. I have comfort in knowing that,” Beal added.
Beal, who has been limited to 48 games due to injuries this season, is averaging 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 32.2 minutes per game.
The Celtics capitalized on the Suns’ struggles, led by Jaylen Brown, who put up a game-high 31 points. Brown was efficient, shooting 10-of-16 from the field, 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 8-of-9 from the free-throw line. He was instrumental in the Celtics’ commanding victory, which improved their record to 57-20 on the season.
Boston also set a significant milestone, breaking the NBA’s single-season record for three-pointers made. Payton Pritchard’s triple early in the second quarter marked the Celtics’ 1,364th three-pointer of the season, surpassing the previous record of 1,363 set by the Golden State Warriors in 2022-23. The Celtics finished the game with 14 threes on 39 attempts, increasing their season total to 1,370.
Devin Booker led Phoenix in scoring with 37 points, shooting 15-of-29 from the field. However, his efforts weren’t enough, as the Suns lacked depth and support. Royce O’Neale and Oso Ighodaro chipped in 12 points each, and Tyus Jones added 12 off the bench, but the Suns couldn’t keep up with the Celtics’ balanced attack.
Phoenix’s woes were compounded by the absence of Kevin Durant, who missed his second consecutive game due to an ankle injury. Without Durant, the Suns’ offense lacked the explosiveness needed to keep pace with the Celtics. Phoenix shot just 32.4% from three-point range and was outscored in every quarter except the third.
The Celtics, despite a brief injury scare to Kristaps Porzingis, never lost control of the game. Porzingis was forced to leave the game after taking an elbow to the nose from Cody Martin. However, he later returned to the bench after receiving stitches. Even with the injury delay, the Celtics maintained a double-digit lead throughout the second half.
The Celtics’ strong bench play also contributed to the win. Payton Pritchard added 10 points, and Luke Kornet scored 12 points. Derrick White chipped in 12 points and seven assists, while Jrue Holiday contributed four points and five rebounds.
For the Suns, the loss drops them to 35-42, leaving them on the outside of the Western Conference playoff picture. With only a handful of games remaining, Phoenix faces an uphill battle to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, the Celtics continue to assert themselves as one of the league’s top contenders.
