The Boston Celtics (48-14) travel to face off against the Phoenix Suns (37-26) on Saturday, March 9th. This game will be played at Footprint Center in Phoenix and televised on ABC. The Suns are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Celtics are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Raptors. Tip-off is set for 8:30 ET.

Celtics vs Suns

The Celtics Look To Bounce Back From A Loss

In the Celtics’ most recent game against the Nuggets, Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 41 points while going 16/29 from the field. Kristaps Porzingis added 24 points, but unfortunately, Boston was defeated in the game with a score of 115-109.

So far this season, the Celtics have a record of 48-14 and are 33-7 against teams in the Eastern Conference. When playing against teams from the other conference, they are 15-7. Across their last three games, the Celtics are 1-2.

Boston’s ATS record is currently below .500 at 29-30 for the season. On the road, the Celtics have an ATS record of 12-16, as opposed to a 17-14 record against the spread when playing at home.

The Suns Are Coming Off A Win

Kevin Durant led Phoenix with 35 points against the Raptors, the highest on the team. He finished with a field goal percentage of 51.2% in the game. The Suns picked up a 120-113 win, and Grayson Allen also added 26 points which was 2nd on the team.

When playing against Western Conference teams, the Suns have gone 22-19 and are 15-7 in non-conference games. Overall, they have a record of 37-26 and are 2-1 in their last three games.

So far, Phoenix is below .500 in their ATS record, currently standing at 25-37. This season, Phoenix has a 18-28 record against the spread when they are the favorites, and they are 7-9 as underdogs.

Celtics Offense Breakdown

Coming into today’s action, Boston is averaging 120.8 points per contest. This figure places them 3rd in the league.

When it comes to scoring, the Celtics are one of the best teams in the NBA, averaging 120.8 points per game (3rd). However, they have been even better on the road, where they are averaging 118.0 points per game (5th).

In terms of three-point shooting, the Celtics are the top team in the league in both three-pointers made per game (16.3) and three-point attempts per game (42.2). Overall, they are shooting 38% from beyond the arc (4th).

So far this season, the Celtics have outscored the NBA scoring average in 71% of their games. In terms of pace, they are 16th in the league at 98.1 possessions per game.

Suns Offense Breakdown

The Suns arrive for today’s game as one of the NBA’s top offensive teams, scoring an average of 117.1 points per game (12th).

At home, the Suns are averaging 117.1 points per game, which is 14th in the league. Overall, they are 12th in scoring at 117.1 points per game. Phoenix is 15th in pace at 98.7 possessions per game.

When it comes to field goal percentage, the Suns are 4th in the NBA at 49%. From two-point range, they are 10th in the league at 55%. However, they are 26th in three-point attempts and 21st in three-point makes at 12 per game.

One area where the Suns excel is getting to the free-throw line. They lead the NBA in free-throw attempts at 25.2 per game and are 2nd in makes at 20.3 per game. In terms of offensive rebounds, Phoenix is 19th in the league.

Celtics Team Defense

At present, the Celtics’ defense is ranked 5th, allowing 109.9 points per game. The Boston defense has allowed opponents to shoot 34.3% from beyond the arc this season. Opposing teams are also hitting 44.8% of their field goal attempts vs. Boston.

Suns Team Defense

On the defensive side, Suns is currently hovering around the NBA’s average for points allowed, conceding an average of 114.3 points per game. When it comes to forced turnovers, the Suns are forcing 14.1 per game, which is 25th in the league. They also come into the game sitting 5th in blocked shots at 6.1 per game.

Key Players For The Celtics And Suns

Our projections for today’s game indicate that Jayson Tatum will be the primary scorer for the Celtics, with 26 points and going 9/19 from the field. Throughout this season, his average stands at 26.8 points per game, along with 8.4 rebounds.

On the flip side, our predictions place Kevin Durant as the leading scorer for the Suns. We expect him to conclude the game with a team-high 28 while also collecting 7 rebounds. For the season, he has a field goal percentage of 52.5% and is averaging 28 points per contest.

Celtics vs Suns Trends

• In their last ten games away from home, the Celtics have a straight up record of 8-2 while going 5-4-1 vs. the spread. The team averaged 116 points per game in this stretch.
• Through their last three home contests, the Suns offense has averaged 113 points per game while allowing an average of 114. Phoenix posted an overall record of 1-2 while going 1-2 ATS.
• Through their last five games as the underdog, the Suns have an ATS record of 3-2 and a straight up mark of 3-2.
• Going back to their previous three games as the favorite, Boston has an ATS mark of 1-2 while going 1-2 straight up.

Celtics vs Suns Prediction

For a pick on the point-spread in this Celtics vs. Suns matchup, our bet is to grab the Suns at +5.5. Even though our projections have the Celtics winning 118-113, we see the Suns as the play on the point-spread.

As for the total, the line is currently sitting at 227.5 and our model has the Celtics and Suns finishing with a combined 231 points. Our pick is to take the over.

All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.