Mikal Bridges scores 25, leads Suns to 106-94 win over Celtics

BOSTON (AP) —Devin Booker wore a hockey toque to deal with the sub-zerotemperatures in Boston and pulled out a baseball metaphor todescribe his possible return to the basketball court.

“Roundingthird,” Booker said after watching from the bench as his PhoenixSuns teammates beat the Celtics 106-94 on Friday night.

Mikal Bridgesscored 25 points and Dario Saric had 14 with 13 rebounds Fridaynight to lead the Phoenix Suns to a 106-94 victory over Boston andsend the NBA-leading Celtics to their fourth loss in six games.

Chris Pauladded 15 points, eight assists and six rebounds for Phoenix, whichhad a 20-point, second-quarter lead trimmed to one by the end ofthe third. The Suns opened the fourth with eight straight points toturn back Boston’s rally.

Booker, anative of Grand Rapids, Michigan, wore a Detroit Red Wings knit capas he sat on the bench in the same building where he scored 70points in 2017. He hasn’t played since sustaining a groin injury onChristmas; it was just the second time he has joined the team on aroad trip since.

“I’m mindfulof what I say because I don’t want to get everybody excited aboutit, or depress everybody, either. It’s just where he is,” Sunscoach Monty Williams said before the game. “We do feel like he’sgetting closer and closer to coming back.”

The Suns lostnine of their first 11 games after the three-time All-Star wentout, but have won seven of the last nine while they wait for hisreturn, which could come during current the five-game roadtrip.

“For us towin it without Book is big for everyone’s confidence, because hewill be back shortly,” center Jock Landale said. “We would haveliked to win a few more games, but now that we’re winning a lot ofgames and he’s on the verge of coming back, it’s big for us.”

Jaylen Brownscored 27 points and Jayson Tatum had 20 for the Celtics, who beatthe Brooklyn Nets by 43 points on Wednesday and beat the Suns by 27in December. But the two Boston All-Stars shot a combined 12 for 36from the floor and 6 for 22 from 3-point range.

The Suns led74-73 to start the fourth quarter before running off the next eightpoints, prompting Boston coach Joe Mazzulla to call a timeout.Derrick White drove for a layup to snap the slump, but Damion Leeand Saric hit back-to-back 3s, and the Celtics never got closerthan six from there.

The Celticsscored the first seven points of the game, but quickly gave it allback. Phoenix scored the next 12, with Ayton putting in threestraight baskets to start the run.

The Sunsstarted the second quarter with back-to-back 3-pointers by IshWainright and Lee — sparking another 8-0 run that helped them opena 32-20 lead. It was up to 20 points with four minutes left in thesecond before Tatum hit his first basket of the game — a 3-pointer— as Boston scored 11 in a row before going into the half trailing57-44.

TIP-INS

Tatum missedhis first six shots. ... Wainright sank a full-court shot, but itwas just after the buzzer to end the third quarter. ... Boston’sLuke Kornet left early in the fourth and limped to the locker room.... The Celtics took the court on Jan. 23 with a 35-12 record and anine-game winning streak.

UPNEXT

Suns: AtDetroit on Saturday.

Celtics: AtDetroit on Monday night.