On Friday, April 4, the Phoenix Suns walked into TD Garden hoping to revive their postseason hopes. Instead, they walked out with their 42nd loss and a confirmed losing record for the first time since the 2019-20 season.
While the Boston Celtics’ balanced attack overwhelmed Phoenix from start to finish, it was Devin Booker’s postgame comments that stood out.
Despite the blowout, the Suns star stayed composed, sounding more focused on the big picture than the scoreboard. His belief in the team’s future came through loud and clear.
‘We’ll Build It Again,’ Says Booker After Tough Celtics loss
Booker didn’t hide the sting of the loss, but he also didn’t let it define the Suns’ future. Speaking after the 123–103 defeat, he showed a mix of disappointment and resolve.
“It’s tough. I’ve said I didn’t think I’d be in this situation (again), but it’s part of it. It’s part of the journey. It’s part of the story.”
Devin Booker on Suns (35-42) first losing season since 2019-20 after 123-103 loss to Celtics:
"It's tough. I've said I didn't think I'd be in this situation (again), but it's part of it. It's part of the journey. It's part of the story. We've built it up before. We'll do it… pic.twitter.com/bQJ3TLgfof
— Duane Rankin (@DuaneRankin)
That journey, once filled with championship dreams, is now facing a harsh reality. The Suns (35–42) have officially posted their first losing season since the COVID-shortened 2019–20 campaign. They sit 11th in the Western Conference, just outside the play-in picture, with time and games running out.
But Booker didn’t seem ready to let this season break the team’s spirit.
“We’ve built it up before. We’ll do it again. I trust everybody in here. Finish this thing up the right way … and start thinking how we can prepare to get better this summer.”
The message was clear — this chapter might not end in a playoff run, but the story’s not over. Booker’s belief in his teammates and in the organization is still strong, and he’s already looking ahead to the offseason as a time to regroup.
Booker was the lone bright spot for Phoenix on the night, finishing with 37 points (15-of-29 FG, 2-of-6 3PT, 5-of-5 FT), six assists, and five rebounds in 38 minutes. It marked his 24th game this season with 30 or more points and his second straight high-scoring performance after dropping 39 in the previous outing.
Celtics Dominate While Suns Spiral Continues
While Booker kept the Suns in it, the Celtics simply had too much firepower. Jaylen Brown (31 points) and Jayson Tatum (23) led a six-man scoring wave that wore Phoenix down. Boston’s pace and timely shot-making gave the Suns no chance to recover.
Booker gave Boston its due: “That’s a very good team. They have the recipe right now. I’d much rather them scoring over us in the paint rather than hitting a bunch of open threes like we did last time.”
At the same time, Booker called out Phoenix’s recurring road problems — slow starts and shaky confidence:
“We’re getting good looks. We shot well from three. But we’ve got to start better. When we let it fly with confidence, that’s our best shot at beating a team of that caliber.”
The Suns have now lost six of their last 10 games. With only five left, their play-in hopes are fading. But for Booker, the focus is already shifting. His eyes are on what’s next — and how to get Phoenix back to where it was.
