BOSTON — The Boston Celtics traded blows with the Phoenix Suns for the first 45 minutes of their Monday night showdown at TD Garden. To break the stalemate, somebody had to establish momentum for the Celtics, and it’s no surprise who came through in the clutch.
The usual suspects, also known as Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, made big plays in the fourth quarter to capture the 120-112 win in Boston. And while there was plenty of hubbub concerning how the two superstars would gel mid-season given the fact that Tatum missed over 60 games due to an Achilles injury, that chatter was quelled late against the Suns.
Dynamic mode ⚡️
JB defense ➡️ JT offense in tonight’s @JetBlue Play of the Game pic.twitter.com/CaDlvIhPTd
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 17, 2026
One play arguably encapsulated it all. With 3:10 remaining in the final frame and the C’s trailing by 3 points, Brown seized an opportunity. He saw Suns star Devin Booker turn his back to him with the ball while being defended by Celtics guard Derrick White, completely exposing him to a surprise attack. Brown then snuck up behind Booker, cleanly poked the ball out, and bolted in transition to give the Celtics an offensive opportunity.
Instead of finishing the play off himself, Brown dished it to Tatum, who performed a pretty Eurostep to get by Suns guard Jordan Goodwin. That resulted in an easy layup with 3:05 remaining and prompted a timeout from Suns coach Jordan Ott. From that point on, the Celtics never looked back and outscored the Suns 10-1 to close out the win. Brown finished with a game-high 41 points (with 18 of those coming in the fourth quarter) and Tatum tallied 21 points in his fifth game back from injury.
“We can rely on one another in the biggest moments, in the biggest games, in the biggest situations,” Tatum described of his on-court partnership with Brown following the exciting victory. “When we step on that floor, you know that the other person is going to do whatever it takes to try to win.”
Jayson Tatum on his relationship with Jaylen Brown:
“We can rely on one another in the biggest moments, the biggest games, the biggest situations, we’ve been through all of them together, and came out on top (in) most of them.” pic.twitter.com/kUF2VaNm9T
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 17, 2026
Although Tatum and Brown have mostly made it seem easy, co-existing as perennial All-Stars isn’t effortless. It’s a give-and-take, and the current franchise cornerstones of the Celtics have learned that.
“It takes humility, and it takes some understanding,” Brown replied candidly when asked how he balances his terrific year with Tatum’s delayed return. “Sometimes it’s not easy, but always put the team first and what the bigger picture is first.”
In Tatum’s absence, Brown has averaged career-highs in points, assists, and rebounds per game. The longest-tenured Celtic has carried his teammates at times this season and was instrumental in helping Boston record an astonishing 41-21 record without Tatum active.
Despite the success, Brown knows that the Celtics aren’t complete without Tatum.
“I think JT is extremely important to us for what we want to do,” Brown said at the podium. “Obviously, I’m having a great season, but then I have to just think, what’s the big picture?”
Jaylen Brown on reaching a balance with Jayson Tatum:
“I think JT is extremely important to us for what we want to do. Obviously, I’m having a great season, but then I have to just think, what’s the big picture? And sometimes it’s not easy, but always put the team first.” pic.twitter.com/A1U9zK8L90
— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 17, 2026
Brown, like any other NBA player, would love to have a Michael Jordan Trophy in his house to show off his MVP status. However, he knows there is a time for personal achievement and a time for collective achievement. The latter is on his mind as the 2026 NBA Playoffs near.
“We found ways to win, and we just got to continue to do that,” Brown said of the new-look Celtics. “It’s not going to be perfect. I think we could have won in a better facet tonight against the Suns, but it’s going to take a little bit of that growth factor by the time we get to the playoffs. So, I got to be patient. Everybody has to be patient.”
There are still some kinks to work out, but the Celtics are now 4-1 this season when Tatum is healthy. That’s probably because the 2025-26 Celtics, who experienced a ton of overhaul last summer, are still anchored by the same dynamic duo that’s nearly a decade in the making.
“We’ve just found a way to really complement each other, on both ends of the floor and win a bunch of basketball games, win a bunch of playoff series, and win a championship,” Tatum said. “It’s just something we’ve been doing for a long time.”
Brown’s steal-turned-layup was just the latest byproduct of his fruitful relationship with Tatum. Furthermore, it embodies the sacrifices they’ve made for one another while co-commanding the Green Team.
First, Brown ran into the fray for the steal, knowing the risk of what would happen if his defensive gamble failed. And instead of padding his stats with a layup (or trying to add to his career-high free throw total), he dumped it off to Tatum, trusting his star teammate in a key moment and letting him shine.
The six-time All-Star validated that faith by getting the bucket and later reciprocated it, as he allowed Brown to work in isolation against the Suns down the stretch, pumping his fist when his teammate drew a foul with under 2 minutes to go.
But perhaps the biggest sacrifice Tatum made for Brown — and the rest of the Celtics — stems from his mere presence on the court.
“Him even wanting to come back was, I feel like, an unselfish act, putting potentially his body on the line in order for us to accomplish something great,” Brown praised while discussing Tatum’s return on the “Cousins” Podcast.
Jaylen Brown spoke highly of Jayson Tatum and said they’ve already talked ahead of tonight’s game:
“Him even wanting to come back was an unselfish act, putting…his body on the line in order for us to accomplish something great.”
(Via @VinceAndTmac)
pic.twitter.com/j2Jixgg8Pl— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) March 6, 2026
Everybody in Boston knows what that “something” is; the 45-23 Celtics want a title.
With a healing Tatum and a surging Brown working together, it might just be attainable.
“This is not the best version that you are watching right now,” Brown said of the Celtics’ potential. “So we just take it one day at a time.”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Why win vs. Suns is latest product of Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum Celtics partnership
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