The [Boston Celtics](https://nesn.com/boston-celtics) stayed hot on Tuesday night, handling the Suns in Phoenix. Boston, 38-17, has now won four in a row and nine of its last 10.
With the New York Knicks falling on the road to the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier on Tuesday, Boston now has a two-game lead over New York in the Eastern Conference standings.
Speaking of the Cavaliers, they're now tied with the Knicks in third place behind Boston. Cleveland is 8-2 over the its last 10 games, continuing its stretch of excellence since acquiring James Harden at the trade deadline.
The Cavs, not the Knicks, are the team Boston might need to worry about warding off from the No. 2 spot in the East over the last 20-plus games of the schedule.
This should make the Celtics-Cavs game on March 8 in Cleveland (broadcasted on ABC) all the more intriguing.
The Celts also have one more matchup with the Knicks (at Madison Square Garden) left on the schedule, slated for April 9.
First things first -- Boston will face a tough second leg of a back-to-back on Wednesday night in Denver against Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets.
**_More NBA:_** [**_Celtics Star Jayson Tatum Describes What He's Missed Most During Rehab Stint_**](https://nesn.com/boston-celtics/news/celtics-star-jayson-tatum-describes-what-hes-missed-most-during-rehab-stint/bda8b13482012b87e842ffd1)