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By Justin Grasso
Contributing Sports Writer
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A matchup in Massachusetts between the Boston Celtics and the Phoenix Suns ended with the home team improving its record to 45-23.
The Celtics landed another notable performance from the franchise’s MVP-caliber forward, Jaylen Brown.
The All-Star checked in for 39 minutes. He shot 10-20 from the field, 19-21 from the free-throw line, and hit on two out of five three-pointers.
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Brown finished the game with 41 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.
Back for his second-straight game after getting a rest night, Jayson Tatum produced 21 points on 8-18 shooting. Derrick White matched him with 8-16 shooting, putting up 21 points of his own.
The Celtics defeated the Suns 120-112.
Jaylen Brown left the game feeling confident about his continued success as the primary option in Boston. Meanwhile, on the other side of the court, Suns head coach Jordan Ott wasn’t exactly pleased with the way Brown collected his 40-piece.
Suns Take Shots At Jaylen Brown’s Whistle?
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Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hears it on a daily basis. The MVP guard is as good as his whistle. Bam Adebayo caught a lot of heat last week for getting over 30 points from the charity stripe as he surpassed Kobe Bryant in the history books and put up 83 points in one game.
"That's a lot of free throws for one player,” Suns’ Ott said on Monday, March 16, regarding Brown.
While that’s a factual statement, it didn’t mean the game was lopsided in that sense. The Suns actually attempted more than the Celtics overall. Phoenix went to the line with 29 attempts, while Boston had 27. Each team scored 25 points off free throws.
Jaylen Brown Gets Honest On Expanded Role
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“I feel like even now over the last couple of games, I've adjusted my game, and I'm still continuing to get better in my playmaking ability, seeing the floor, taking my time, all of that stuff is still continuing to improve,” Brown told reporters on Monday night. “It's honestly, it's my first opportunity in my career where I've been able to do this for an extended period of time.”
For years, Brown was viewed as Jayson Tatum’s Robin. Being out of the game for most of the 2025-2026 season, Tatum’s injury forced Brown into a role that many might not have trusted him to thrive in before. Now, they have no choice but to respect what he has accomplished on an individual scale and on a team level.
This year, Brown is posting averages of 28.2 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 5.1 assists.
Luke Kornet Explains Free Agency Exit
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Former Celtics veteran Luke Kornet had a strong supporter in Derrick White, who recently admitted he made a pitch to keep the veteran in town.
Instead, Kornet signed with the San Antonio Spurs.
“Free agency is a pretty strange endeavor. Honestly, when evaluating where to go, San Antonio was an option that felt really good, and it obviously has a great track record that speaks for itself," Kornet said recently.
"But, to be honest, it was frankly bittersweet. It kind of came and went in waves because, although I was excited for the next challenge and being in this new place, at the same time there’s just the reality of moving. We had been in Boston for so many years and had so many great relationships.”
After five years, Kornet joined the Spurs. He appeared in 235 games with the Celtics. The veteran produced 4.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, while seeing the court for 14.8 minutes per game.
Celtics Predicted To Have A Nightmare Playoff Scenario
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Should the Celtics fear the Charlotte Hornets?
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley gave the young and scrappy Eastern Conference team a major vote of confidence.
“The Buzz City ballers might legitimately have enough firepower to go shot-for-shot with Boston. In fact, on the season, the Hornets have made more threes (16.1 per outing) and splashed them at a higher clip (37.9 percent) than the Celtics (15.5 and 36.4, respectively). And while Charlotte fans might worry about the huge disadvantage in big-stage experience, the Hornets' rise has been so sudden and unexpected that this club could wind up playing loose and free, because external expectations remain nonexistent.”
Fair points. At the end of the day, experience tends to outweigh the value of young teams playing free.
The Celtics are battle-tested, being playoff regulars for many years, and finishing on top just two postseasons ago. The Hornets seem primed to bring an exciting energy to the playoffs, but they have to get there first. Ranked 10th in the Eastern Conference, they are going to need two do-or-die wins in order to secure a seed where they likely avoid the Celtics in round one.
What’s Next For The Boston Celtics?
A home matchup against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, March 18.
The return of Kristaps Porzingis in the gold and blue could be in store.
For all the latest NBA news and rumors, head over to Newsweek Sports.
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