Devin Booker or Jaylen Brown, who truly had the better shooting night?

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Mar 16, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker (1) drives to the basket against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) during the first half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

BOSTON – In the box score era of the NBA, the story usually writes itself with the team that wins getting the narrative. Although when you look at the whole body of work, who actually had the better shooting night between Devin Booker and Jaylen Brown on Monday night?

Devin Booker and Jaylen Brown go crazy on Monday night:​

Brown delivered when the game tightened. His drives forced whistles all night, leading to a staggering 19-for-21 performance from the free-throw line. Add in a solid 10-for-20 from the field, and a handful of late buckets that stabilized Boston down the stretch, and the optics scream “clutch shooting night.” Although if the question is purely about shooting, the answer becomes less comfortable than just looking at the final score.

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Mar 16, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Phoenix guard Devin Booker (1) attempts a shot past Boston guard Payton Pritchard (11) during the first half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Devin Booker authored the more explosive scoring performance. Booker finished 15-for-24 from the field, an elite 62.5% clip against one of the league’s best defenses. Even more remarkably, he rattled off 23 consecutive Suns points, the second-longest personal scoring run in franchise history and the longest of his career. In a game where offense often stalled for Phoenix, Booker essentially carried the scoring load by himself for a stretch.

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Mar 16, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Celtics guard Brown (7) attempts a shot against the Suns during the second half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

From a data standpoint, the contrast is stark. Booker created most of his damage from live play efficiency. Brown’s production, while impressive, was heavily amplified by trips to the line, many coming from aggressive rim attacks that forced officials to make calls. Both performances mattered. Brown’s shot-making arrived when Boston needed control, helping seal the win. Booker’s scoring burst kept Phoenix competitive long enough to make the game matter. That difference is efficiency vs. timing, and why fans will remember the night differently depending on which column they check first, the box score or the scoreboard.

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Mar 16, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Phoenix guard Booker (1) drives to the basket against Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the first half at the TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Devin Booker has historic shooting streak in Phoenix Suns’ loss to Celtics

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Reporter Benjamin Bliklen covers the Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, and Phoenix Suns for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @BenBliklen​

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