Celtics blow past Suns, Thunder back on top

LOS ANGELES: Jaylen Brown scored 37 points as the Boston Celtics unleashed a dominant offensive performance to blow past the Phoenix Suns 127-112 on Thursday (Mar 14).

Boston's big three of Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford combined for 87 points in a dazzling performance against a Suns team looking to avenge last Saturday's 117-107 home defeat to the Celtics in Arizona.

Tatum finished with 26 points while Horford weighed in with 24 to secure a victory that edges Boston closer to securing the NBA Eastern Conference's top seeding in the postseason.

The Celtics rained down a barrage of three-pointers on the Suns, converting 25-of-50 attempts from outside the arc. The Suns by contrast shot 11-of-31 from three-point range.

Devin Booker led the Suns scorers with 23 points, with Bradley Beal making 22 and Kevin Durant and Grayson Allen finishing with 20 apiece.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla saluted Brown's display.

"I think he's really taken the point of emphasis to being a well-rounded player," Mazzulla said.

"Everything with him starts with his defensive intensity. Getting off to a great start defensively gets him going and that's big for our team.

"And he can score on anybody at any time. He's playing really well-rounded basketball on both ends. It's fun to watch."

Boston improved to 52-14 and are 9.5 games clear of second placed Milwaukee (43-24) at the top of the Eastern Conference.

Phoenix fell to 38-28 and are seventh in the Western Conference, outside the top six automatic playoff places.

Suns coach Frank Vogel admitted his team were not at Boston's level - but insisted there was plenty of time for improvement with the start of the postseason looming in April.

"We're just not quite where they are yet," Vogel said. "But that's the