The Phoenix Suns are hoping to remain on the win column when they visit the Boston Celtics, especially with the Cs coming in as losers of two-straight games.

HOME TEAM: Boston Celtics (27-13, 16-4 at home)

The Celtics have lost back-to-back and five of their last seven games. Two of those defeats were from teams with a losing record and the other three are one-sided affairs. On Friday, they got steamrolled by the Milwaukee Bucks, 128-123. They trailed by as much as 27 points and only made the game closer than it looks in the fourth quarter, when it was pretty much over.

Even with the struggles, though, the Celtics will not be short on confidence tomorrow. They are at home and had already beaten the Suns on the season. The two met back in mid-November and Boston earned a 99-85 road victory despite a poor, 41.6% shooting. Jayston Tatum led the way through a double-double (26 pts and 11 rebs).

The Celtics have three players averaging 20 or more points on the season – Tatum (21.2 PPG), Kemba Walker (22.1 PPG), and Jaylen Brown (20 PPG) – and we should see the trio continue doing their thing.

ROAD TEAM: Phoenix Suns (17-24, 8-10 on the road)

The Suns have won three of their last four games and also held opponents to below 100 points in all of those victories. They are seven games under .500 and such a run is a good momentum-builder.

Devin Booker (26.2 PPG, 6.3 APG) will have a lot in his hands tomorrow as key wing scorer Kelly Oubre Jr. is still day-to-day because of a concussion. Ricky Rubio, who’s fresh off tying a season-high 25 points to go along 13 assists, will have to score within that range again.

DeAndre Ayton has had a whirlwind season but he has looked good in his last two games (23 PPG, 15.5 RPG, 70.2 FG%). He’ll look to stay in rhythm as he is in a favourable match-up against the Celtics’ questionable interior defense.

PREDICTION:

The Suns are second in the league in assists per game while the Celtics are one of the worst in containing assists (24th), so we can probably anticipate good ball movement from Phoenix.

In the end, though, the Celtics will prove whey they are one of the East’s top dogs and why the Suns are perennial lottery team. Boston gets the W, 116-107.