The Celtics were in lockstep with the Suns for much of the first quarter Saturday, but they took control once the bench was fully acclimated into the game.
Playing an eight-man rotation, the Celtics’ three bench players each made a play in three consecutive possessions late in the first quarter that helped take control of the game in their 117-107 win.
Just seconds after entering the game, Payton Pritchard hit a layup in transition that tied the game up. Sam Hauser blocked a runner from Eric Gordon on the ensuing possession. Luke Kornet gathered an offensive rebound off a Jayson Tatum miss and got an easy putback to put the Celtics up, 26-24.