Jaylen Brown dominates as Celtics beat Suns, 120-112

On Monday evening at TD Garden, these chants returned, however this time they had been louder and extra forceful. And as an alternative of being bundled up whereas standing on a parade float, Brown was dissecting the Suns’ protection with certainly one of his most dominant offensive performances of this season.

The ahead scored 18 of his 41 factors within the fourth quarter, serving to the Celtics wipe away a late deficit and secure a 120-112 win.

“He’s one of the big reasons why we’ve gotten to the point that we have,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned, “and it’s important that he continues to do that for us.”

Brown has been overtly important of NBA referees this season, most frequently stemming from his perception that his bodily model of play has not led to journeys to the free-throw line. His frustrations boiled over in final week’s loss to the Spurs, when he erupted a few no-call and was subsequently ejected.

On Monday, nonetheless, he attacked the rim persistently and authoritatively and hit 19 of 21 free throws, each profession highs.

The chants apart, Brown emerged as an MVP candidate this season whereas serving to the Celtics turn into an unlikely Eastern Conference contender as they awaited Jayson Tatum’s return from an Achilles harm. Tatum is again now and nonetheless discovering his means, however Brown has willingly maintained the workforce’s prime weapon.

“Honestly, it’s my first opportunity in my career where I’ve been able to do this for an extended period of time,” he mentioned. “Obviously regardless, people are going to have their critiques and their criticism, but it’s just a completely different flow when people play off of you or when you play off others . . . This year I’ve been able to kind of like play at my own pace. I’ve kind of been able to control my own destiny.”

Tatum and Derrick White added 21 factors a chunk for Boston, which related on 17 of 40 3-pointers. Devin Booker, who missed final month’s sport between these groups in Phoenix, poured in 40 factors on 15-of-24 taking pictures for the Suns.

An Oso Ighodaro dunk with 5:29 left gave the Suns a 105-104 lead, their first since early within the second quarter.

Phoenix prolonged his benefit to as many as 4, however, with 3:10 left, Brown slithered behind Booker and poked the ball away, igniting a fast-break probability.

He ultimately discovered Tatum for a layup that sliced ​​the deficit to 111-110. Afterward, Mazzulla identified the importance of that second that got here amid Brown’s offensive eruption.

Brown admitted that it was a calculated danger, as a result of if he didn’t get the steal, Boston’s protection would have been compromised, and the Suns seemingly would have gotten a simple basket that may have pushed their result in 5.

“Book had it rolling,” Brown mentioned. “He was playing phenomenal tonight. He was having one of those games where you could see his eyes were big.”

Brown pushed the Celtics again in entrance when he scored on a putback after a Tatum missed layup. After Booker missed a jumper, Brown prolonged the lead with two free throws. And after the Celtics compelled a shot-clock violation, Brown scored inside with 1:00 left to increase the result in 116-111.

The Celtics closed the sport with a 14-2 run and gave up simply 2 factors over the ultimate 4 minutes.

“We knew it was going to be a tough challenge, and it’s a credit to our guys,” Mazzulla mentioned. “I thought they answered the call to the challenge.”

The Suns opened the second interval with a 32-31 lead, however White, who had 16 factors within the second quarter, hit three 3-pointers over the primary 95 seconds to open a 40-32 lead. Boston took a 65-61 result in halftime.

Tatum began to discover a rhythm by attacking the basket early within the third quarter. He transformed a pair of drives earlier than placing again his personal miss, after which his operating layup with 6:54 left gave the Celtics an 80-73 lead.

But all the pieces stays a piece in progress for the famous person who was taking part in simply his fifth sport of the season. He adopted that robust stint by airballing a 3-pointer, having a layup blocked, and throwing a go out of bounds.

Booker, in the meantime, poured in 16 factors within the third, however Payton Pritchard ensured that the surge wouldn’t be too damaging. He hit three deep 3-pointers over a four-minute stretch; The final one, with 10:19 left within the fourth, gave the Celtics a 96-86 lead.

The Suns did not crumble. Haywood Highsmith’s fourth 3-pointer pulled Phoenix inside 102-101 with 6:54 left, and he reclaimed the lead quickly after. But Brown took care of the remaining.

Adam Himmelsbach may be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. observe him @adamhimmelsbach.