The Celtics skate in the game of surprises

Some results occur without any explanation, but it does not mean that there is not always a meaning. The Celtics lost at home to some Suns that are far from being the contenders for the ring that theoretically have been the last two seasons and that, in addition, they are plagued with casualties and had just lost 32 points in Arizona against the Hawks. Rarely has a victory been so mitigating, since Monty Williams’ team also leaves the play-in and it is placed in sixth place in the Western Conference, a blessing if we take into account the competitiveness, but also something anecdotal if we take into account the tremendous traffic jam between fourth and thirteenth place. Anyone can get in there and everyone is within a range of less than four games.an absolute barbarity that is given by the low general level, which adds an extra emotion to the last two months of normal seasonespecially when the transfer market has closed (February 9) and the All-Star is behind.

The Suns seemed serious at all times, while it seemed that things were not going with the Celtics, which is not the first game they have lost at home in a strange way (the Magic have already left two consecutive visits) and that there are times when they disconnect in a sordid waya bombastic quality with a negative connotation that can harm them in playoffs and that, in fact, has been one of the reasons why this project has not yet achieved the dream of the ring. And be careful, if they continue like this, the Bucks will reach them, 1.5 games away, to gain a traditionally important field advantage in the Eastern Conference. A fight that the Sixers can join (2 games away) and in which the Nets seem to be out (5 games away) especially after Kyrie Irving dropped his umpteenth bombshellrequest the transfer before February 9 and turn a project that was beginning to have real green shoots upside down.

In the Garden, the Suns led 44-57 at halftime and only suffered in the third quarter, the only in which the Celtics were the Celtics and they managed to scratch points on the scoreboard to only 1 (73-74) with 12 minutes to go. Until there they arrived: suddenly, the Suns closed the game with a sublime serenity, as if they were that champion team that they have never been, and they kept a cool head and a warm wrist to sentence (94-106). They entered like a whirlwind (from 73-74 to 75-85 in just three minutes) and then managed to capitalize on the advantage and secure the victory, a new one in their changing record (28-26 now), very different from that of the Celtics (37 -16), but with which they have shamelessly conquered the Garden. Rare thing, but nice to see and based on the rebound (53-43 in favor) a magnificent game distribution (28 assists, 18 for the Celtics) and security with the ball in his hands (just 8 turnovers).

Without Devin Booker, Landry Shamet, Cameron Payne and a Jae Crowder that we still don’t know if it will be out before February 9th, the Suns relied on the 14 points and 13 rebounds of a very active Dario Saric, the 14+10, with 5 assists, of a good DeAndre Ayton, the 25 of the always confident Mikal Bridges, the 11+4+4 of Damion Lee or the knowledge of a magnificent Chris Paul who once again showed flashes within the blackout that has accompanied him in recent months: 15+6+8. On the Celtics, only a little bit of Jaylen Brown (27+8+4, but 3 of 12 in triples), Derrick White (19) and Malcolm Brogdon (12). The absence of Marcus Smart continues to weigh and the best version of Jayson Tatum was not present. He was, in fact, miserable: 20 + 6 + 5, but 3 of 15 from the field, all of them triples (3 of 10), very fast, hasty and with little management in his shot selection. Anyway: great victory for the Suns, loss to think about the Celtics. And to continue.