Jayson Tatum scored a clutch three-pointer before Joel Embiid's full-court buzzer-beater was wiped off as the Boston Celtics clung on for a 110-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday.

Tatum drained the go-ahead triple with 2.0 seconds left from Marcus Smart's clever assist after Derrick White's inbound.

Embiid launched a desperate long-range shot which he hit but replays showed he released the ball after time had elapsed meaning the Celtics secured the win.

Tatum did not shoot the ball well throughout the game, finishing with 18 points on seven-of-17 shooting, but came up big when it mattered. The MVP candidate also pulled down 13 rebounds with six assists.

Al Horford turned the game with four three-pointers in the third quarter as the Celtics rallied from a 15-point deficit to lead at the final change.

Horford finished with 15 points, while Jaylen Brown top scored for Boston with 26 points with three steals.

Embiid had 41 points for the game with 12 rebounds and five assists, while James Harden added21 points with eight assists.

The Eastern Conference-leading Celtics have won three straight, improving their record to 44-17, while the 76ers, third in the east, are 39-20.

Grizzlies rout Nuggets in best in the west battle

The Memphis Grizzlies blew away the Denver Nuggets 112-94 in a match-up between the Western Conference's top two as Ja Morant scored 23 points with seven rebounds.

The Grizzlies led by as many as 35 points, opening up a 66-42 half-time lead and keeping the Nuggets to a season-low team score. Denver are 42-19 while Memphis are 36-23.

Nikola Jokic scored 15 points with 13 rebounds and three assists, while Jamal Murray only managed eight points on three-of-13 shooting from the field.

Knicks rout Pelicans in front of championship team

The New York Knicks honoured their onlooking 1972-93 NBA championship team in style, with a 128-106 rout of the New Orleans Pelicans making it five straight wins.

Julius Randle top scored with 28 points making five-of-10 three-point attempts along with seven rebounds and five assists, as five Knicks players reached double figures.

R.J. Barrett added 25 points with a season-high seven assists while Jalen Brunson scored 20 points. Zion Williamson was absent again for the Pels, for whom Brandon Ingram top scored with 19.

Indiana Pacers center Myles Turner had a career night, but his side ultimately went down 142-138 in an overtime shootout against the Boston Celtics on Thursday.

Playing in front of his home fans after recently signing a contract extension, Turner tied his career-high with 40 points while shooting a spectacular 13-of-15 from the field. He also hit a career-high eight three-pointers from 10 attempts.

Among all centers this season, Turner's 78 made threes trail only Milwaukee's Brook Lopez (104), Washington's Kristaps Porzingis (100), Chicago's Nikola Vucevic (98) and Boston's Al Horford (92).

His All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton was terrific in support, scoring 22 points (seven-of-14 shooting) with 14 assists, three steals and two blocks, but the Celtics duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown proved overwhelming down the stretch.

It was a rough shooting night for Tatum, finishing nine-of-25 from the field, but he worked his way to the free throw line to finish with 31 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, two steals and a block. Meanwhile, Brown – wearing a protective face mask in his first game returning from a facial fracture – had 30 points (11-of-24), 11 rebounds and three assists.

Reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart chipped in 15 points and two steals, but he came through when it mattered, scoring seven of the Celtics' first eight points in the overtime period.

With the win, Boston remain alone atop the standings with a 43-17 record, while the Pacers sit 12th in the East at 26-35.

Jokic cruises to another big triple-double

Reigning back-to-back MVP Nikola Jokic was dominant in the Denver Nuggets' 115-109 road win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers came into the contest boasting one of the best home records in the NBA at 25-6, and they led at three-quarter time, but Jokic defied his unusual seven turnovers to produce another monster showing.

His 24 points on eight-of-13 shooting trailed only team-mate Michael Porter Jr (25) for the Nuggets' most, while Jokic also led both teams with 18 rebounds and 13 assists for his league-leading 22nd triple-double this season. The Nuggets are 22-0 in the games he has posted a triple-double.

Their win, combined with the Memphis Grizzlies' loss, leaves Denver (42-18) six games clear in the race for the Western Conference one seed.

Harden ignites late 76ers comeback

The Philadelphia 76ers overcame a rare poor shooting night from Joel Embiid to produce a fourth-quarter comeback, beating the Grizzlies 110-105 at home.

Embiid ended up with a gaudy stat line of 27 points, 19 rebounds, six assists and six blocks, but he shot just seven-of-25 from the field for his worst field goal percentage of the season.

The 76ers trailed by 12 with eight minutes remaining, but James Harden was in full control from that point, scoring nine of his game-high 31 points and dishing five of his seven assists, igniting a 31-14 run to close the show.

At 39-19, the 76ers own the fourth-best record in the league, and sit third in the East.

Jayson Tatum says it was a surreal feeling to create history with the most points ever in the NBA All-Star Game after posting 55 in Team Giannis' victory on Sunday.

Tatum surpassed Anthony Davis' 52-point record from 2017, scoring 55 points on 22-of-31 shooting from the field, making 10-of-18 from three-point range.

The Boston Celtics forward posted 27 points in the third quarter, which was also an All-Star Game record, and became the second player behind Stephen Curry to make 10 three-pointers in the contest.

"I really didn’t know [about the record]," Tatum said. "I didn’t know what the record was. I found out midway through the fourth quarter.

"Dame [Lillard] was like 'yo, the record is 52, you've got 49'. It kinda hit me, breaking history in the moment."

Tatum, in his fourth All-Star selection, won the game's Kobe Bryant MVP award for the first time, which was a source of great joy for the 24-year-old.

"It means the world," Tatum said. "Kobe was my idol, my favourite player, the reason why I fell in love with the game.

"I was in the first All-Star Game when they named the MVP after him and ever since I had my eyes on wining it one day. I'm finally glad I got one."

One of the highlights of the contest when Tatum taking on Celtics teammate Jaylen Brown in a series of one-on-one battles.

Brown actually top scored for Team LeBron, hitting 35 points off the bench on 16-of-27 shooting with 14 rebounds.

"That was cool," Tatum said. "It was normal for us, it was just millions of people watching. We been playing one-on-one so many times. It was special."

Joe Mazzulla has been appointed the permanent head coach of the Boston Celtics.

Mazzulla becomes the 19th full-time head coach in the franchise's history and he has also agreed an extension to his contract, though details were not confirmed.

The 34-year-old took over the Celtics on an interim basis in September following the suspension of previous head coach Ime Udoka.

Mazzulla has had an impressive impact on last season's NBA Finals runners-up, leading them to a league-leading record of 42-17.

The announcement from the Celtics came on Thursday following Wednesday's 127-109 win over the Detroit Pistons.

Mazzulla was hired by the Celtics in 2019 as an assistant coach following two years in his first head coach role with division two college Fairmont State.

He spent two of his first three seasons on the Celtics bench under former head coach and current president of basketball operations Brad Stevens, before retaining his role when Stevens was promoted and Udoka was brought in as the new head coach.

Stevens said following the announcement: "As he has shown, Joe is a very talented coach and leader. He has a unique ability to galvanize a room around a mission.

"We are thankful for the work he has done to help get us to this point, and excited that he has agreed to lead us into the future."

It was also announced last month that Mazzulla and the rest of Boston's coaching staff had earned the right to coach Team Giannis at this year's All-Star Game, which takes place in Salt Lake City on Sunday.

The resurgent Phoenix Suns made it 11 wins from their past 14 games with a 120-109 home victory against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday.

Phoenix, who earlier this season endured a 2-12 run across a 14-game stretch, are now right back in the mix in the Western Conference, buoyed by the impending debut of trade deadline acquisition Kevin Durant.

Against the Kings, the Suns' main three players all performed at an exceptionally high level.

Point guard Chris Paul dished a season-high 19 assists – the second most by any player this season, trailing only James Harden's 21 against the Los Angeles Clippers in December – to go with 17 points on seven-of-15 shooting.

Offensive focal point Devin Booker led the Suns with 32 points on 13-of-20 shooting, and center Deandre Ayton dominated with 29 points (13-of-17 shooting), 11 rebounds, four steals and two blocks.

Both Kings All-Stars delivered, as De'Aaron Fox led the visitors in scoring with a game-high 35 points on 12-of-22 shooting, while Domantas Sabonis had 24 points (seven-of-12), 15 rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

With the win, the Suns improved their record to 32-27 and moved up to the fourth seed in the Western Conference, one game behind the third-placed Kings (32-25).

Bucks extend winning streak to 11 against undermanned Celtics

The Milwaukee Bucks were pushed all the way by a Boston Celtics team missing four starters, ultimately coming away with a 131-125 overtime win at home.

With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford all out, Derrick White had 27 points (10-of-24), 12 assists and three steals, while Malcolm Brogdon added 26 points (eight-of-17) off the bench in a valiant effort.

But the heroics from the Bucks' All-Star duo pulled them across the line, with 40 points (13-of-21), seven assists and three steals for Jrue Holiday, while Giannis Antetokounmpo racked up 36 points (12-of-26), 13 rebounds and nine assists.

The Bucks (40-17) are now just a half-game behind the Celtics (41-17) in the race for the league's best record.

Blazers waste another explosive Lillard performance

Nobody is averaging more points than Damian Lillard over their past 10 games, and he had another 39 in a 126-101 home loss to the Washington Wizards.

Lillard, who came into the contest averaging 38.2 in his past 10, shot 14-of-30 from the field while adding 10 rebounds and six assists.

But the Wizards were too good, led by their leading scorer this season, Kristaps Porzingis, with 28 points (10-of-15), 12 rebounds and five assists, while Kyle Kuzma bombed away for 33 points (11-of-20) and nine rebounds.

Giannis Antetokounmpo sent an injury scare through the Milwaukee Bucks camp late in Tuesday's 131-125 overtime win over the Boston Celtics, but the initial report was positive according to head coach Mike Budenholzer.

Antetokounmpo went down awkwardly on landing following an unsuccessful drive to the basket in the fourth quarter and remained on the floor, before slowly getting to his feet and walking to the bench.

The Greek forward never left the game and played out the OT win, finishing with 36 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and two blocks as the Bucks claimed their 11th straight victory.

"They gave me a quick update just saying that they think he just banged knees with somebody," Budenholzer said.

"We'll check him in the morning, but I'd say the initial kind of report was positive."

Antetokounmpo's return was his 24th 30/10 game of the season, which is the most in the NBA. He was well supported by Jrue Holiday with a joint career-high 40 points on 13-of-21 shooting from the field with eight-of-12 from beyond the arc.

Holiday's eight three-pointers was also a new career high, coming after his selection in the upcoming All-Star Game for the first time since 2013, marking the longest gap between All-Star appearances in NBA history.

"I don't really care for how I'm playing as long as we're winning," Holiday said. "For me, as long as we get the win, I'm OK.

"The only stat I look at is turnovers. That's kind of how I determine if I had a good or bad game. Tonight, what did I have, five turnovers? To me, that hurts my soul."

The win was not only the Bucks' 11th straight, but also saw them down their main Eastern Conference rivals for the top seed. The Bucks improved to a 40-17 record, narrowing the gap to the Celtics (41-17).

However, Boston were missing several key players, including Jayson Tatum (rest) and Jaylen Brown (facial fracture).

Celtics forward Sam Hauser had sent the clash to overtime with a game-tying three-pointer with 3.0 seconds remaining when Khris Middleton opted not to foul.

"We do different things at the end of the game," Budenholzer said. "The catch-and-shoot coming out of that is probably what they're looking for. We defended everything well, defended all the screens prior.

"He gets it out at half-court and hits a 30-footer. There's different things that we'll do. Credit to Hauser for making the shot. Khris did exactly what we asked him to do. Just fortunate to find a way to win it in overtime."

The Boston Celtics will head into Tuesday's road game against the Milwaukee Bucks without four starters after Jayson Tatum and Al Horford were ruled out in the hours before tip-off.

Tatum and Horford are the latest additions to a star-studded injury list for the Celtics, who were already without All-Star Jaylen Brown due to a facial fracture, while reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart is recovering from an ankle injury.

Horford is officially listed out due to right knee swelling, while Tatum has also been given the game off for Wednesday's game against the Detroit Pistons as the Celtics give their leader in starts and minutes this season some extended rest leading into the All-Star Weekend.

The Bucks will be close to full strength after it was confirmed Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton – who were initially marked down as questionable – were cleared to play. They will only be missing sixth man Bobby Portis and new trade acquisition Jae Crowder.

With a win, the Bucks can trim Boston's lead as the best record in the Eastern Conference, and in the league, to a half-game.

The Boston Celtics will hit the road on Tuesday to take on the Milwaukee Bucks in a potential Eastern Conference Finals preview.

In a tantalising battle between the top two teams in the East, it will also be a clash between two of the NBA's top-four defenses this season.

The Celtics will head into the contest boasting the rare statistical profile of the fourth-best defense (conceding 110.5 points per 100 possessions) and the third-best offense (116.8 points per 100 possessions). 

Meanwhile, the Bucks have relied primarily on their second-ranked defense (109.7), grinding out wins despite their offense ranking only 21st (112.6).

While their offensive production has differed, the way these two sides approach the game is very similar. They are two of the most perimeter-centric offenses in the league, both top-five in average three-point attempts, while both also sit bottom-five in average points in the paint.

It makes sense that, because both of these teams so heavily value the three-point shot, they also make just as much of an effort to disrupt that area for their opponents. They are both top-six in limiting opponent three-point makes, presenting an interesting conundrum.

Two teams who want to bomb away from deep, who also know exactly how to run their opposition off the three-point line, forcing them to take a step inside and attempt less valuable two-point jump shots, or daring them to finish at the basket against elite rim protectors.

They are also the best two teams in the league at limiting opposition free throw attempts, meaning that even when they force opponents inside into traffic, they are challenging without fouling.

But the wrench in that equation is Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, who lives in the paint, contributes nearly half (19.0) of his side's 45.4 points in the paint per game, and leads the league in free throw attempts (13.8 per game).

It puts the opposition in a quandary – do you follow the scouting report and try to limit the Bucks' three-point shooting, potentially giving Antetokounmpo the free rein to dominate inside, or do you go all-in on stopping the former back-to-back MVP and force somebody else to hit shots?

That is not to say the Celtics' stars are incapable of getting into the paint – with both Jaylen Brown (11.7 paint points per game) and Jayson Tatum (11.5) in the top-20 in the league – but Brown is the primary slasher of the pair, and will miss this game with a broken bone in his face.

Brown will be joined on the sideline by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, meaning Tatum will not just be the Celtics' most important offensive player, he will also be their top perimeter defender.

The Celtics are struggling in the health department right now, while the Bucks are trending in the right direction. Both Milwaukee All-Stars – Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday – will play, and All-NBA wing Khris Middleton has games of 22 points and 24 points in his past three after recovering from his own serious injury.

PIVOTAL PERFORMERS

Boston Celtics – Robert Williams III

Smart will be missed, but there is arguably not a more valuable defender to the Celtics than Robert Williams III – especially against an interior force like Antetokounmpo.

The 25-year-old came from out of nowhere to force his way onto the NBA All-Defensive Second Team last season, finishing fourth in the league for blocks per game (2.2). That block figure has come back down to earth this season – still a team-leading 1.2 per game – but, simply put, the Celtics are a force defensively with him on the court. 

During his minutes, the Celtics concede only 104.8 points per 100 possessions – the fourth-best figure for any player averaging at least 20 minutes per game – which is over five points better than the league's best defense this season (Cleveland Cavaliers, 108.9).

Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown says he is "day to day" in his recovery from a facial fracture and has not ruled himself out of next weekend's All-Star Game.

Brown suffered the injury when he collided with the elbow of team-mate Jayson Tatum during last Wednesday's 106-99 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.

The two-time All-Star was ruled out indefinitely by the Celtics, but Brown offered an update on his status prior to Sunday's 119-109 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.

"I'm taking it day to day right now," Brown said. "I'm just letting the swelling go down, letting the pain subside, and then I'll kind of go from there. I can't make any determinations long-term because I'm just taking it day to day."

Brown, who was voted into the upcoming All-Star Game as a reserve by the league's coaches, confirmed he had avoided surgery and was on the mend.

"Feeling a lot better for sure," Brown said. "Still having a little bit of pain but feeling better from the first couple days.

"Had to get a couple scans, see a bunch of specialists and different doctors to get all the info. But they came to the determination I don't have to have surgery, so that's the good thing.

"I'm just happy that I don't have to go through that process because I probably would have missed a lot more games. I don't think it'll be too long. I figure I'll be fine."

Brown is enjoying an outstanding season, with career-high averages for points (26.5), rebounds (7.0) and field goal percentage (48.7 per cent).

The Boston Celtics received terrific performances from Derrick White and Robert Williams III to defeat the visiting Memphis Grizzlies 119-109 on Sunday.

With Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown out of action due to a broken bone in his face, and Jayson Tatum struggling on his way to a three-of-16 shooting performance, it was up to the role players to step up in what was a playoff-quality matchup.

After his best game of the season on Friday – scoring a season-high 33 points with 10 assists – White followed it up with another terrific showing. He led the Celtics with 23 points on eight-of-20 shooting and a game-high 10 assists.

Meanwhile, Williams – who set a season-high with 16 rebounds on Friday – matched that figure again, including five on the offensive end, while the Grizzlies only grabbed three offensive rebounds as a team. 

Tatum ended up salvaging a respectable stat line of 20 points, seven rebounds, two steals and two blocks, but he was nowhere to be found in a close fourth quarter.

Instead, it was Al Horford providing the game-winning scoring burst, with 11 of his 16 points coming in the final five minutes to repel any late Grizzlies charge.

Ja Morant led the visitors with 25 points (nine-of-18 shooting), seven assists and six rebounds.

With the win, the Celtics improved their league-leading record to 41-16, while the Grizzlies sit second in the Western Conference at 34-22.

VanVleet and Siakam lead Raptors to victory

The combination of Fred VanVleet and Pascal Siakam provided the scoring punch in the Toronto Raptors' 119-118 home win against the Detroit Pistons, but a new addition held things together defensively.

VanVleet led all scorers with 35 points (12-of-26 shooting) and eight assists, while Siakam put together a strong performance with 28 points (10-of-19 shooting), six assists and two blocks.

On the defensive end, it was trade acquisition Jakob Poeltl showing exactly why the Raptors traded a first-round pick for him at the deadline, leading the game in both blocks (three) and steals (two) before fouling out in 25 minutes. Toronto were plus 11 with him on the court, and minus 10 while he was on the bench.

Jaylen Brown will likely be out of action until at least the end of the All-Star break after the Boston Celtics confirmed he had suffered a facial fracture.

The injury occurred during the Celtics' home win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday, when Brown was met with some friendly fire as fellow All-Star Jayson Tatum accidentally nailed him with an elbow to the face while both attacked an offensive rebound.

Brown immediately left the contest holding his face and did not return, and now it has been confirmed that he will miss some time to let it heal.

The 26-year-old wing is enjoying the highest-scoring season of his career, earning his second All-Star selection with averages of 26.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting a career-best 48.7 per cent from the field.

He will be unable to play in the All-Star Game, creating another opportunity for a reserve to earn selection as Kevin Durant has also been ruled out of the Eastern Conference's Team Giannis.

Brown will miss the four remaining Celtics games before the break, and it is unlikely he will be ready to go when the season resumes on February 23.

However, players have been known to make speedy returns from facial injuries if they are willing to wear a protective mask, and Brown posted to his Instagram story a photo of his facial swelling with the caption "mask coming".

Gary Payton II is heading back to the Golden State Warriors less than a year after departing the reigning NBA champions, according to ESPN senior NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski.

The guard signed with the Portland Trail Blazers as a free agent during the offseason after helping the Warriors win their fourth championship in the space of eight years.

However, Payton was sidelined for several months after undergoing core muscle surgery and did not make his Blazers debut until their 135-106 win over the Detroit Pistons last month.

But the 30-year-old was reportedly traded back to the Warriors on a hectic trade deadline day, with the Blazers receiving five future second-round picks.

Kevin Knox was also traded to the Warriors as part of a three-team trade with the Pistons, who received James Wiseman in the opposite direction while also trading Saddiq Bey to the Atlanta Hawks.

Wiseman, the second overall pick from the 2020 NBA Draft, had bounced between the Warriors' active roster and their G League affiliate, but he could not justify the luxury tax expenses that would have been associated with retaining him on the roster. According to The Athletic's John Hollinger, the Warriors will save a combined $51million in salary and luxury tax this season, and $85m next season by cutting their losses.

Elsewhere, the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics bolstered their three-point shooting and depth after agreeing a trade with Oklahoma City Thunder for 10-year NBA veteran Mike Muscala.

According to The Athletic, the Thunder will receive Justin Jackson and two future second-round picks as part of the deal.

There has also been activity involving Western Conference leaders, the Denver Nuggets, who have traded youngster Bones Hyland to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for two future second-round picks.

Earlier in the day, Kevin Durant completed a stunning trade to the Phoenix Suns from the Brooklyn Nets, who have lost two All-Star starters in as many days after also trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks this week.

According to ESPN, the Suns gave the Nets three players in Mikal Bridges, Cam Johnson and Jae Crowder, plus four unprotected first-round picks and a 2028 pick swap.

Reportedly part of the Durant trade, Jae Crowder is heading to the Milwaukee Bucks with the Nets receiving five second-round picks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

Kyrie Irving got off to a winning start as the Dallas Mavericks fought out a 110-104 win at the home of the Los Angeles Clippers.

Fresh from his trade from the Brooklyn Nets, Irving shot a team-high 24 points on debut for Dallas.

The Mavs were without Luka Doncic, but the addition of Irving to their ranks meant they had sufficient firepower to overcome the Clippers and rise to fourth in the Western Conference.

Tim Hardaway Jr. weighed in with 19 points, six assists and five rebounds, and his three-pointer with 26.8 seconds remaining effectively slammed the door shut on the prospect of a late Clippers fightback.

It meant Norman Powell's 24-point game off the bench for the Clippers came in vain.

Celtics sink Sixers but suffer Brown blow

Behind 19-of-35 shooting from three-point range, the injury-hit Boston Celtics had too much for the Philadelphia 76ers, with the Eastern Conference leaders scoring a 106-99 win.

Despite Joel Embiid scoring a game-high 28 points and James Harden weighing in with a 26-point game and 11 assists, the 76ers were sunk by a Boston side who had six players in double figures, led by Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon who both hit 19 points.

Worryingly, Jaylen Brown suffered what the Celtics described as a "facial contusion" when banging into team-mate Jayson Tatum as both went after a rebound in the closing stages of the second quarter.

It forced Brown out of the game and could see him sidelined for an extended spell, with reports claiming he suffered a fracture. That came as a fresh blow to a Celtics side who came into the game without starters Marcus Smart, Al Horford, and Robert Williams.

Brown's injury meant he and Tatum combined for only 16 points. Tatum managed just 12 points but added nine assists and eight rebounds.

It ended the double act's streak of 55 straight regular-season games combining for 40 or more points in games played together. That was the longest streak by a pair of team-mates in the NBA since a 60-game run from the 76ers' Wilt Chamberlain and Hal Greer from 1965 to 1966.

Lillard heroics see Blazers blunt Warriors

Damian Lillard's triple-double helped the Portland Trail Blazers see off the Golden State Warriors, who were again without the injured Stephen Curry.

In Curry's continuing absence, Jordan Poole weighed in with 38 points and Klay Thompson collected a 31-point haul, but reigning NBA champions Golden State went down 125-122 at Moda Center.

Lillard finished with 33 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in a game that was locked at 95-95 heading to the fourth quarter.

Jayson Tatum made sure the Boston Celtics would be just fine without Jaylen Brown as he drew praise from the opposition after defeating the Detroit Pistons 111-99 on Monday.

Brown was a late withdrawal due to illness in the hours leading up to tip-off, while the All-Star was joined on the sideline by reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart as he recovers from an ankle injury.

It was shaping up to simply not be the Celtics' night as Tatum reached half-time with as many fouls (three) as made field goals, but they were kept afloat by an inspired shooting performance from rookie Sam Hauser.

In his first NBA start, Hauser made five of his six three-point attempts in the first half, while Derrick White had 15 points by the long break on his way to a terrific stat line of 23 points (eight-of-17 shooting), seven rebounds and seven assists.

Hauser cooled off significantly in the second half – not hitting another shot the rest of the way – but Tatum came out in the third quarter on fire and helped the Celtics jump ahead by 20 with 18 points in the period.

Tatum ended up with 34 points (11-of-24 shooting), 11 rebounds and six assists, and Pistons head coach Dwane Casey said afterwards that there is a feeling of inevitability when facing the MVP candidate.

"You hope that he doesn't keep going, or get going," he said. "We tried to trap him, get the ball out of his hands, and he made good decisions.

"You know at some point, he’s going to be a superstar… I watched those guys grow, they had the same growing pains as our young players did, and to see where they are now should be motivation for our young players."

Pistons point guard Killian Hayes added: "A guy like that, you give him any opportunity, he’s going to take it. He didn't make a three-pointer in the first half, and then he hit one and he's hard to guard. A guy like that, you can't let him get going."

Meanwhile, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla decided to focus on his role players, highlighting his belief in Hauser and big-man Robert Williams III after the latter became the first Boston player to ever record 15 points, 15 rebounds and two steals in less than 30 minutes of action.

"I thought [Hauser] was great in the first half," he said. "The decision [to start him] – I just trust his work ethic, and I trust his mindset, so I thought it was a good opportunity for him to play and get us in a different flow on the offensive end.

"When he's in, our off-ball creativity is there, our after-action is there, and our early-offense spacing is there. I thought he would help that – and I watch him work every day. All those guys, I know they're always ready.

"[Williams] is getting more assertive offensively, but we're getting more organised about how we can use him – he's not just a guy who's going to stand under the basket and get offensive rebounds.

"We need him to be a great screener against different coverages, consistently. We need him to be a playmaker in the seam versus the blitz, and we need him to create two-on-ones for us. 

"I thought we did a really good job of making a point of emphasis to get him the ball and make him a playmaker to kickstart our two-on-ones – we need that from him."

With the win, the Celtics improved their league-best record to 38-16, one game ahead of the Denver Nuggets and Milwaukee Bucks.

Devin Booker said he is "rounding third" on his road to recovery in a big boost for a Phoenix Suns side who defeated the out-of-form Boston Celtics on Friday.

The Suns triumphed 106-94 against the Eastern Conference leaders to move to 28-26 for the season and sixth in the West.

Mikal Bridges scored 25 points, while Dario Saric tallied 14 and 13 rebounds to consign the Celtics to a fourth loss in their past six games.

Booker has not played since Christmas due to a groin injury, with the Suns losing nine of the first 11 games without their All Star before rebounding to win seven of the next nine.

Donning a Detroit Red Wings knit cap, Booker was asked how his recovery was going to which he replied: "Rounding third."

Center Jock Landale welcomed the impending return of Booker and also acknowledged the importance of beating the Celtics without him.

"For us to win it without Book is big for everyone's confidence, because he will be back shortly," Landale said. 

"We would have liked to win a few more games, but now that we're winning a lot of games and he's on the verge of coming back, it's big for us."

The Celtics had beaten the Brooklyn Nets by 43 points on Wednesday and defeated the Suns by 17 as recently as December, but came up short on this occasion despite Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum putting up 27 and 20 points respectively – albeit the duo were a combined 12-for-36 from the floor and six-for-22 from downtown.

"I thought we had some solid looks for the majority of the game," Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said. 

"But I just thought we were inconsistent in our detail."

Brown added: "We just didn't have the enthusiasm tonight. Just kind of going through the motions as a unit."

Marcus Smart missed a sixth straight game with a right-ankle sprain, with the Celtics 2-4 without the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

"Marcus brings energy to the game," Brown said. 

"He brings pace to the game. He gets us easier shots, easier looks for our guys. And defensively, he adds that tenaciousness that gets us going and picks us up in games like this."