Celtics at Suns
The Phoenix Suns fell out of the top eight in the Western Conference as a result of their current four-game losing streak and they’ll try to avoid dropping further down the ladder when they host the Boston Celtics on Monday. The Suns must move forward with a new point guard after Goran Dragic and Isaiah Thomas were traded last week and Brandon Knight was acquired in another deal. Thomas was dealt to the Celtics and made his team debut Sunday in an overtime loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Thomas wasn’t around to see the end of regulation or overtime as he was ejected with five minutes left in the fourth quarter as a result of back-to-back technical fouls, but he did score 21 points and should be fired up to face his former team. Suns forward Markieff Morris scored a then-career-high 30 points against Boston earlier this season, while fellow forward. P.J. Tucker was suspended for that game after missing the team flight, but is coming off a season-high 20 points on Saturday against the Chicago Bulls. Knight will be making his second appearance for the Suns after scoring 13 in the loss to Chicago.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, CSN Northeast (Boston), FSN Arizona (Phoenix)
ABOUT THE CELTICS (20-33): Boston learned Sunday that it will be without leading scorer and rebounder Jared Sullinger for the rest of the season after a stress fracture was detected in his right foot. Tyler Zeller and Brandon Bass look to be the players who will pick up the extra minutes and Zeller played a season-high 36 against the Lakers, while Bass played a season-high 40. How they bounce back from those heavy minutes 24 hours later could be a key element to this game.
ABOUT THE SUNS (29-27): Guard Gerald Green started against the Bulls but figures to move back to the bench to make room for Knight in the starting lineup. Knight went against the Celtics on Feb. 7 while still with the Milwaukee Bucks and scored 26 points, and he faced them three times last season and averaged 19 points in those games. How well he mixes with fellow starting guard Eric Bledsoe will determine whether it was a good trade or not.
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Markieff Morris is shooting league-best 57.7 percent from the floor in the final two minutes of one-possession games (minimum 15 attempts).
2. Phoenix is 15-7 against Eastern Conference teams this season and 14-20 against the West.
3. The Suns have shot better than 50 percent from the floor in 18 games this season, which is tied for second best in the NBA.