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2023-24 NBA Regular Season
Phoenix Suns v Boston Celtics
Footprint Center
Phoenix, Arizona
Sunday 10 March 2024
Tip-off at 02:30
Phoenix Suns are locked in an intense battle to qualify automatically for the playoffs in the Western Conference as they prepare to face Boston Celtics at the Footprint Center on the morning of Sunday, March 10.
The Suns are just about hanging onto sixth spot in the West after winning five of their last 10 games to hold off the challenge of Sacramento Kings (7th), Dallas Mavericks (8th), Los Angeles Lakers (9th) and Golden State Warriors (10th).
The four teams occupying the play-in places are separated by just two games and Phoenix find themselves one game ahead of the Kings.
Frank Vogel's team needed overtime to beat Denver Nuggets 117-107 on March 6, having blown a 22-point lead in the second half before Kevin Durant stepped up when it mattered most.
Durant scored eight of his 35 points in overtime and hit a game-tying 3-pointer with 26.6 seconds remaining, having gone 3-17 from the floor prior to that shot.
"I knew coming across half-court this is do-or-die right here, I've got make this shot or it might be game," the Suns power forward said. "My fundamentals were right on that one.
"It felt good leaving my hands... I just love hearing the crowd go silent. That's always a good feeling on the road."
The Celtics have a comfortable lead in the Eastern Conference and still boast the best record in the NBA this season with 48-13.
Joe Mazzulla's team had been on fire in the last month, winning 11 games on the spin before Cleveland Cavaliers brought an end to the league's longest winning streak of the campaign on March 6.
The Cavs ran out narrow 105-104 victors to stage the biggest fourth-quarter comeback in franchise history after overturning a 22-point deficit.
Jaylen Brown, who scored 21 points for Boston, admits they were made to pay for not putting the game to bed in the final period.
"That's what happens when you don't match the gas and don't put an NBA team away," Brown said. "Tip your cap to Dean Wade. He got hot, but we should have won that game.
"We haven't really seen a team storm back like that. Today was a mentality loss. We had the game. Shouldn't have happened."
Phoenix Suns v Boston Celtics - Head-to-head, Regular Season
Games played: 135
Suns wins: 60
Celtics wins: 75
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