Jaylen Brown had 41 points, seven rebounds and six assists to lead the Boston Celtics to a 120-112 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns yesterday (Philippine time).

Brown was a career-best 19-of-21 from the free throw line. The Celtics received 21 points from both Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, while Payton Pritchard added 19. White and Pritchard each made five three-point field goals.

The Suns had a 110-106 lead with 4:46 to play, but didn’t make another field goal. Brown’s jumper capped an 8-0 run that gave Boston a 116-111 lead with one minute to play.

Boston shot 17-of-40 from three-point territory.

Devin Booker led Phoenix with 40 points. Jalen Green added 21.

Phoenix scored the game’s first eight points, but a 10-0 run handed Boston a 23-20 lead. The Suns made 6-of-12 three-point attempts in the opening quarter and led 32-31 entering the second.

The Celtics scored the first nine points in the second quarter to go up 40-32, and had a 65-61 halftime lead. Boston made five straight three-point attempts in the second quarter.

Brown, White and Booker each had 19 points in the first half.

An 8-0 run gave the Celtics a 78-69 advantage with 8:51 left in the third quarter. Phoenix trimmed its deficit to two, but Pritchard capped the third-quarter scoring with a three-pointer that gave Boston a 91-86 lead entering the fourth. Booker had 35 points through three quarters.

Another Pritchard three-pointer extended Boston’s lead to 96-86 with 10:19 left, but Phoenix was within 102-101 following a Haywood Highsmith three-pointer with 6:54 to play.

The Suns went in front 105-104 on an Oso Ighodaro dunk and stretched their lead to 110-106 on a Jordan Goodwin three-pointer with 4:46 left, but Boston regained the lead on a Brown putback that made it 112-111 with 2:30 remaining. (Field Level Media / Reuters)