The Celtics (45-23) didn’t make it easy on themselves Monday night.

After building a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, Boston let things slip just enough to set up a tense finish against the Phoenix Suns (39-29) at TD Garden.

But when it mattered most, the Celtics responded like a team that knows exactly what it wants to be down the stretch.

Behind a dominant night from Jaylen Brown and a suffocating defensive close, Boston pulled away late for a 120-112 win, finishing the game on a 14-2 run over the final 4:46.

Here are the biggest takeaways from the Celtics’ win:

Brown was the best player on the floor, pouring in 41 points while relentlessly attacking the rim.

He attempted 21 free throws - including 10 in the first quarter alone - and converted 19 of them.

Nearly half of his scoring came at the stripe, as Phoenix had no answer for his physicality. It marked his sixth 40-point game of the season and set the tone for Boston’s offense all night.

I’ve said here before and I’ll say it again:

Take this man seriously for MVP.

For most of the night, Phoenix had answers.

Devin Booker’s 40 points kept the Suns within striking distance, and a 21-8 run early in the fourth gave them a brief lead.

But from that point on, Boston slammed the door.

The Suns went scoreless from the field over the final 4:46, managing just two total points while going 0 for 6 with no offensive rebounds.

Boston forced tough looks, cleaned the glass, and made every key stop.

But while we’re on the topic of defense, I have to give the Suns credit where is credit is due - they’re long and relentless. If they continue playing with that style in the coming years, this is going to be a dangerous team.

White’s second-quarter surge helped stabilize the Celtics when the game was still up for grabs.

He scored 16 points in the frame, as Boston caught fire from beyond the arc, hitting eight threes in the quarter.

That shooting burst helped the Celtics keep pace in what was a back-and-forth first half.

When Derrick White can be your third-or-fourth option, depending on the lineup, all you’ve done is raise Derrick White’s ceiling.

This is where having Jayson Tatum back in the lineup is a massive help.

Speaking of Tatum…

Tatum logged 32 minutes in his fourth game back, finishing with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists.

While not his most explosive outing, the increased workload is notable.

He’s gradually building toward full strength, and Boston is clearly prioritizing getting him into rhythm ahead of the postseason.

While tonight belonged to the other J, his performance was notable nonetheless.

After an inconsistent stretch, Pritchard delivered one of his better performances in recent weeks.

He scored 19 points off the bench, knocking down five threes and adding 6 assists.

In a game where Boston needed secondary scoring, his impact was significant - and a promising sign for the depth heading into the playoffs.

The Celtics finished with 31 assists on 39 made baskets, consistently generating quality looks through ball movement and spacing.

Even when the offense cooled late, their earlier three-point shooting advantage, and commitment to making the right play, proved to be the difference.

It wasn’t perfect. But in the final minutes, it looked exactly like the version of the Celtics that can win in May and June.

Everyone in the NBA should be terrified of this team right now.

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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.