Celtics Vs Suns — Celtics beat Suns 97-81 in Phoenix; Jaylen Brown ruled out
In celtics vs suns on Feb. 24, 2026, the Boston Celtics beat the Phoenix Suns 97-81 in Phoenix, a victory that came with All-Star Jaylen Brown held out because of a right knee contusion.
Celtics Vs Suns: Boston’s third-quarter surge sealed the win
Derrick White finished with 22 points and Neemias Queta had 14 points and 13 rebounds as Boston used a dominant third quarter to pull away in the 97-81 victory on Feb. 24, 2026, in Phoenix. The Celtics led 50-46 at halftime and then outscored the Suns 30-11 in the third, including a 16-0 run that flipped the game decisively.
Scoring and rebounding details that decided the game
Sam Hauser added 16 points on 6-for-14 shooting, going 4-for-10 from 3-point range, while Baylor Scheierman posted 11 points and 11 rebounds. The Celtics outrebounded Phoenix by 27, finishing 61 to 34 on the glass. Collin Gillespie scored 15 and Grayson Allen had 14 for the Suns, who suffered their fourth loss in five games.
Brown ruled out with right knee contusion
Jaylen Brown was ruled out of the game with a right knee contusion after being listed questionable on the injury report Monday and held out following further examination on Tuesday. Brown did not show signs of an injury during Sunday’s 111-89 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, when he played 36 minutes and scored 32 points to lead the Celtics.
Brown’s season-to-date figures and MVP conversation
Brown, 29, is averaging 29. 2 points, 7. 0 rebounds and 4. 9 assists through 51 games this season. He is on the periphery of the MVP discussion, and LeBron James said he didn’t understand why Brown wasn’t getting more MVP consideration. The Celtics are 37-19 this season, and Jayson Tatum has yet to play in a game this season.
Suns shorthanded: Booker, Brooks out with injuries
Phoenix played without its top two scorers, Devin Booker (right hip strain) and Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture); the two players combined average nearly 46 points per game. The Suns entered the contest 33-25 and will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Immediate aftermath and the road ahead
The win was Boston’s fourth in a row and ninth in its last 10 games. The Celtics face the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday, while the Suns return home to host the Lakers on Thursday night. The created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
