By the Associated Press
BOSTON — Devin Booker sure loves playing in TD Garden.
His near triple-double effort was just barely enough for the Phoenix Suns to overcome Boston guard Marcus Smart's performance.
Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives past Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Booker had 39 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists and the Suns withstood a franchise-record 11 3-pointers by Smart and beat the Celtics 123-119 on Saturday.
"You know, Book is — Book's Book," Phoenix coach Monty Williams said. "It's something I don't take for granted to have a guy that can get buckets like that."
Deandre Ayton had 26 points and 15 rebounds and Mikal Bridges added a career-best 26 points for the Suns, who have won four of their last five games.
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) launches a 3-point shot over Phoenix Suns guard Ricky Rubio (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mary Schwalm)
Smart shot 11 for 22 from 3-point range and finished with a career-best 37 points. His performance marked the first time in NBA history that a player made 11 or more 3-points in a losing effort, according to Stats.
"He obviously was shooting confidently, made some big shots late into the game and into the (first) half," Boston coach Brad Stevens said. "He's a tough guy and he got a lot of good looks and took advantage of it."
Jayson Tatum scored 26 points and Gordon Hayward added 22 for Boston, which has lost three straight and six of eight.
Three years ago, Booker scored 70 points in a loss to the Celtics in TD Garden. He finished an assist shy of his first career triple-double.
The Celtics were missing two of their top three leading scorers — Kemba Walker (team-best 22.1 per game), out with left knee soreness, and Jaylen Brown (20.0), sidelined for the second straight game with a sprained right thumb.
But Smart kept them in it.
"Right now, it means nothing," Smart said. "I'd trade all that in for a win, especially the way the team has been playing."
Boston cut its deficit to 90-85 early in the fourth, but Dario Saric and Bridges answered with consecutive 3s. The Celtics had it down to 114-111 on Daniel Theis' breakaway dunk with about a minute left, but Bridges hit a jumper in the lane with 37 seconds to play.
Booker's two free throws sealed it with 4.8 seconds left.
"I feel like there were times where we could've put them away, but (an) experienced team that has been in this situation before is never gonna give up," Booker said.
The Suns led 60-51 at halftime and answered — mainly behind Booker and Ayton — any surge by Boston. The lead never fell below seven in the quarter, with Booker scoring nine points and Ayton getting eight.
The loss of two key players showed for the Celtics in the first quarter when the Suns broke in front 26-10 before Boston's bench helped spark a 15-0 run.