In a highly anticipated matchup between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on Wednesday evening, the Celtics secured a 119-116 victory. The Celtics dominated early, establishing a 10-0 lead and stretching it to as much as 21 points in the first half of the contest.
While the Bucks made a late push and nearly stole the game in the process, the tilt was never as close as the final score suggests. The key highlight of the night was Celtics All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown’s exceptional playmaking with a season-high 8 assists, showing a significant improvement from his recent struggles vs the Charlotte Hornets earlier in the week.
The hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast recently weighed in on the win for the Celtics over the Bucks on a recent episode.
Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear their thoughts on the victory.
Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:
Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi
YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ
Story originally appeared on Celtics Wire
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Phoenix Suns look to stay in NBA In-Season Tournament ‘wild card’ hunt with win at Grizzlies
Duane Rankin, Arizona Republic Fri, Nov 24, 2023, 8:40 AM GMT+7·3 min read
MEMPHIS – The Phoenix Suns are firmly in “wild card” contention, but they could use a lopsided victory in their final NBA In-Season Tournament group play game on Friday at Memphis to help their chances.
With the way it’s shaping up, the second tiebreaker, point differential in group play, will decide who gets the “wild card” in the Western Conference.
The first tiebreaker is head-to-head, but several teams are in the “wild card” hunt.
Phoenix (9-6), New Orleans (8-7), Denver (10-5), Houston (7-6) and Golden State (7-9) all have one loss in group play, while Sacramento (8-6) and Minnesota (11-3) are each 2-0.
The Pelicans have the best point differential right now out of those teams at plus-23, followed by the Kings (plus-16), Suns (plus-13), Timberwolves (plus-10), Nuggets (plus-9), Warriors (minus-1) and Rockets (minus-3).
The Suns can finish group play 3-1 with a win over the Grizzlies (3-11) to stay in second place in West Group A as the Los Angeles Lakers (9-7) clinched first in the group at 4-0.
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant (35) talks to Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry after a foul in the first half at Footprint Center in Phoenix on Nov. 22, 2023.
Memphis remains without Ja Morant, who is on a 25-game suspension for “conduct detrimental to the league” as the All-Star showed a firearm twice on social media and served an eight-game suspension.
The “wild card” goes to a team in each conference with the best record in group play that finishes second in its group. That team will play on the road in the “knockout round” or quarterfinals against the team with the best record in group play in each conference.
Good performance: Players from Deandre Ayton trade had strong showing in Suns’ win over Trail Blazers
Right now, the Lakers have the best record in the West group play as they beat the Suns, 122-119, on Nov. 10 in Phoenix.
Devin Booker was sidelined with a right calf strain. The Suns are 5-0 since his return and have improved to 14-1 with him and Kevin Durant in the lineup after beating Golden State, 123-115, on Wednesday at home.
Looking at the remaining two West groups, defending NBA champions the Nuggets are second in West Group B at 2-1.
The Nuggets have the same group record as New Orleans but lost to the Pelicans in group play.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (14) and forward Zion Williamson (1) celebrate their back-to-back baskets late in the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Denver Nuggets in New Orleans on Nov. 17, 2023. The Pelicans won 115-110.
Denver plays Friday at Houston, which is 1-1 in group play. So, one of those three teams will finish second in their group. New Orleans closes group play on Friday at the Clippers (6-7).
In West Group C, the Kings and Timberwolves are 2-0 in group play and face each other on Friday in Minnesota.
The T-Wolves can secure first in the group with a win as they have already beaten the Warriors, who are 1-1 in group play.
Minnesota’s final group play game is against Oklahoma City (11-4), while Sacramento concludes group play versus Golden State on the final day of group play on Tuesday.
The Warriors will have Draymond Green back as the veteran forward is on a five-game suspension for escalating an on-court clash against Minnesota when grabbing T-Wolves center Rudy Gobert around the neck from behind.
Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at [email protected] or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @DuaneRankin.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Point differential may decide Suns’ fate in NBA In-Season Tournament