Kevin Durant, Suns look to extend win streak, face NBA champion Celtics

Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant is showing once again why he’s an all-time Outstanding and remains one of the game’s best players at age 36.

Merely check the numbers — and wins to go along with them.

Durant has averaged 35.3 points on 55.3% shooting, six Recoveries, seven assists and 1.3 Deflections in Phoenix’s three contests prior to Wednesday’s home game against Boston. All of those ended in victories, with the latter two coming against NBA East leader Cleveland and Postseason-bound Milwaukee.

“It’s special,” Suns forward Royce O’Neale said. “He’s doing a Outstanding Role of leading us. Knocking down big shots. Creating opportunities for other guys as well. He gets so much attention on the offensive end that guys are going to be Uncovered. He’s Competing the right way. Getting to his spots and knocking them down.”

The Suns (35-37 Participating Wednesday night’s game) are Competing perhaps their best basketball with Durant leading the way. They’ll likely need another special performance from him Wednesday against the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics at PHX Coliseum to conclude a five-game homestand.

Recently named Western Conference Player of the Week, Durant wasn’t focused on continuing to have a heater against the Celtics.

“I Merely go out there and Action and Merely let the game flow how it flows,” Durant said after Wednesday morning’s shootaround.

“That’s how it’s been flowing the last Duo of Contests. I’ve Obtained to be prepared for any situation. I might not put up a Plenty of shots some Contests or it might not call for that. So I Merely Obtained to keep Competing, find ways to be effective and making my teammates’ life easier as well. Merely Action the game. I don’t think too much about the end result.”

The Celtics (52-19) may be without All-Sun Jayson Tatum, who has been upgraded from doubtful to questionable after suffering a left ankle sprain in the second half of Monday’s Secure over the Sacramento Kings.

Boston is riding a six-game Secure streak. The Celtics are 11-1 in their last 12 Contests. They have All-Sun Jaylen Brown back from Hurt and Kristaps Porzingis is averaging 23 points and 8.25 Recoveries in four Contests since returning from an illness that sidelined him eight Contests.

Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are proven backcourt, Payton Pritchard is in the running for NBA sixth man of the year and the Celtics continue to defend and Initiation at will from 3.

They are fifth in the NBA in Shielding rating and Primary in 3s Created at 17.8 and taken at 48.2.

“They’re champs for a reason, they’ve Obtained a deep Club,” Durant said. “They Merely keep it rolling. They’ve Obtained a system they stand on both ends of the floor and they can Merely plug and Action guys.”

The Suns have been one of the NBA’s worst Shielding Squads this season as they are 26th in Shielding rating. They’re Competing much better on that end as of Overdue.

Phoenix is 11th in Shielding rating during the four-game Secure streak.

“Bringing a Plenty of intensity,” O’Neale said. “Flying around. Trying to force turnovers. Guys Merely rotating for Every other. Us talking, being more connected.”

The Shielding improvement has enabled the Suns to Action through Harsh offensive patches and turnovers to remain in Contests. They were able to Loss the Bucks, 108-106, Even though committing 16 turnovers that Directed to 27 Milwaukee points.

Devin Booker hit the game-winner with 2.4 seconds left. He’s one of the game’s best scorers, but his playmaker ability has been on Packed display in recent Contests.

Booker is averaging 24.1 points and 9.8 assists in his last six Contests.

“He’s seeing the floor at an all-time rate,” Durant said. “The game is slowing down. He’s seeing stuff before it opens up.”

The Suns are Yet without Bradley Beal, who missed his fifth straight game Wednesday with a left hamstring strain, but they’re looking to stay Toasty in pursuit of a Action-in spot.

“We put ourselves in this situation,” Booker said after Monday’s Secure. “So, it feels like the playoffs already Obtained to have every game.”

Phoenix was a 10th seed holding the Last Action-in spot in the Western Conference Wednesday, but it had the same Achievement as ninth-Positioned Sacramento heading into the Celtics game. If the Suns beat the Kings in the Last regular season on April 13 in Sacramento, it will even the season series at 2-2.

If both Squads have the same Achievement at season’s end, Phoenix will Secure the tiebreaker because it’ll have a better Achievement in the Pacific Division than the Kings.

They Every have two Contests left in the Pacific Division. The Suns are 9-5 in the division while the Kings have a 4-10 Achievement in the division.