Celtics Vs Suns: White, Queta Power Boston to 97-81 Win in Phoenix
In the celtics vs suns matchup in Phoenix on Feb. 24, 2026, the Boston Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns 97-81. The game mattered for both clubs: it stretched Boston's run to four straight wins and highlighted Phoenix's struggles while it prepares to host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night.
Derrick White's 22 points
Derrick White led Boston with 22 points, supplying the scoring punch that kept the Celtics ahead through the game's pivotal stretch. In the celtics vs suns game White's production combined with role-player bursts that helped Boston convert a close halftime margin into a decisive victory.
Neemias Queta and the rebound margin
Neemias Queta finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds, anchoring a dominant effort on the glass. The Celtics outrebounded the Suns by 27, totaling 61 boards to Phoenix's 34, a margin that translated into extra possessions and helped fuel Boston's late run.
Third quarter surge and a 16-0 run
Boston led 50-46 at halftime and then seized control in the third quarter, outscoring Phoenix 30-11. That period included a 16-0 run that flipped a four-point halftime edge into sustained separation, a sequence that proved decisive in a 97-81 final score.
Injuries: Jaylen Brown, Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks
The Celtics played without All-Star Jaylen Brown, listed with a right knee contusion, and Phoenix was missing its top two scorers, Devin Booker (right hip strain) and Dillon Brooks (left hand fracture). Booker and Brooks together average nearly 46 points per game, a scoring absence that had a measurable effect on Phoenix's offense and on the contest's outcome.
Celtics Vs Suns: Supporting cast and immediate implications
Boston received additional scoring from Sam Hauser, who shot 6-for-14 overall and 4-for-10 from 3-point range to finish with 16 points. Baylor Scheierman posted a double-double with 11 points and 11 rebounds. On the Phoenix side, Collin Gillespie scored 15 and Grayson Allen added 14, but the Suns lost for the fourth time in five games.
What makes this notable is how Boston combined the rebounding edge with a concentrated scoring burst in one quarter: the 30-11 third was the clear inflection point, and the 61-34 board advantage turned missed Suns opportunities into Celtics possessions and points. The scoreboard and the possession totals together explain why a four-point halftime margin widened to a 16-point final.
The result extended the Celtics' recent run to their fourth straight victory and their ninth win in 10 games, underscoring a stretch of sustained team performance. For Phoenix, the defeat—compounded by the absences of Booker and Brooks—leaves the Suns facing the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night with questions about how to replace nearly 46 points per game that were not available on Tuesday.
The created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
