The Celtics have run through the NBA with such relative ease this season that their losses become a national storyline, a sudden cause for concern. Their first losing streak in four months this week raised questions about their ability to win a championship.

It was almost hard to believe that it was just a two-game losing streak.

The Celtics left Denver with plenty of lessons learned, and maybe a necessary reset. While they may not be perfect, and not quite a finished product, they have stayed consistent in their approach and mindset all season. And on Saturday night in Phoenix, they showed the resilience to adversity that has been a hallmark for them with an important bounce-back 117-107 win over the Suns.

Jayson Tatum scored 29 points, Jaylen Brown added 27 points, and the Celtics’ bench had one of its best performances of the season. The C’s, after struggling with the details in Thursday’s loss to the Nuggets, were sharp on the margins. They were locked in defensively, and crisp offensively. And at last, they pulled out a win in crunch time – overcoming Kevin Durant’s 45 points – to successfully avoid what would have been their first three-game losing streak of the season.