Celtics Rally Past Suns Behind Jaylen Brown's Monster 4th Quarter

Jaylen Brown scores 41 points, including 19 free throws, to lead Boston to a comeback win over Phoenix.

Mar. 17, 2026 at 4:09am

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The Boston Celtics overcame a late deficit to defeat the Phoenix Suns 120-112 in a back-and-forth battle. Jaylen Brown led the way for the Celtics, scoring 41 points and going 19-for-21 from the free throw line. The Celtics played strong defense down the stretch, holding the Suns to just two points in the final 4:46 of the game to secure the victory.

Why it matters

This win keeps the Celtics in the hunt for a top seed in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Jaylen Brown's dominant performance shows he can take over games when needed, which will be crucial for Boston's championship aspirations. The Celtics also demonstrated their ability to make key defensive stops late in close games, an important skill for any title contender.

The details

The Celtics and Suns traded runs throughout the game, with Boston building a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter only to see Phoenix rally back and take a four-point advantage. However, Boston responded with a 14-2 run over the final 4:46, led by Brown's clutch play at both ends of the floor. The Celtics also shot the ball well from three-point range, going 12-for-27 as a team.

  • The Celtics built a 10-point lead in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
  • Phoenix went on a 21-8 run to take a four-point lead with just over two minutes remaining.
  • Boston closed the game on a 14-2 run over the final 4:46 to secure the victory.

The players

Jaylen Brown

The Celtics' star guard scored a game-high 41 points, including going 19-for-21 from the free throw line, to lead Boston's comeback win.

Devin Booker

The Suns' All-Star guard scored 16 of his team's 25 points in the third quarter to keep Phoenix in the game.

Derrick White

The Celtics' guard scored 13 of his 21 points in the second quarter to help Boston build an early lead.

Jayson Tatum

The Celtics' star forward scored 21 points and played a key facilitating role, especially in the fourth quarter.

Payton Pritchard

The Celtics' reserve guard scored 19 points off the bench, including five made three-pointers, to provide a much-needed spark.

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What they’re saying

“I thought it was a great balance of our pace in transition, our attacking, our dribble-drive stuff was great, our 2-on-1 reads for each other was great.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Head Coach (SI.com)

“I thought he was physical at the point of attack. Didn't give up any [screen] rejects. Booker is always looking for rejects. Did a great job forcing him into the screen. Did a great job getting back to front so that we could keep it 5-on-5 even though we were up a little bit more.”

— Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Head Coach (SI.com)

What’s next

The Celtics will look to build on this comeback win as they continue their push for a top playoff seed in the Eastern Conference.

The takeaway

Jaylen Brown's dominant performance and the Celtics' clutch defensive effort in the final minutes showcased the team's championship pedigree and ability to win close games against elite opponents like the Suns. This win should give Boston confidence as they navigate the final stretch of the regular season.