Payton Pritchard unleashes confidence ahead of Celtics playoff run

Jack Simone | Apr 15, 2024

Apr 14, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) drives to the basket. / Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston Celtics concluded their regular season on Sunday afternoon with a 132-122 win over the Washington Wizards.

In a victory that was overshadowed by the festivities of Mike Gorman Day, Payton Pritchard put up his second 30-point game in a row. He scored a career-high 38 points to go along with 12 assists and nine rebounds.

But the regular season is now the past. Championships are the only measuring stick for success in the city that Larry Bird and Bill Russell called home.

Banner 18 has been the goal all season, yet Boston has done a magnificent job of focusing solely on the games in front of them. And now, that’s the playoffs.

They may not know who their first-round matchup will be until the Play-In Tournament concludes, but according to Pritchard, that doesn’t matter.

“Just be us. Mentally, get prepared,” Pritchard said on what the Celtics need to do to get playoff-ready. “We’re going to be alright. We’re going to be ready for it. Everybody has one thing on their mind, and that’s to go for this championship.

“But we got to take care of business [in] Round 1. And we’re going to do that.”

The Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat will meet in the seven-eight game of the Play-In Tournament, while the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks make up the nine-ten matchup. 

Boston will play the winner of the second game, meaning they won’t know their Round 1 opponent until after Friday’s contests.

Yet Pritchard is confident.

In the eyes of Joe Mazzulla, that’s important. Simultaneously, the Celtics need to possess a sense of humility to keep them focused on the task in front of them. Rather than leaning one way or the other, a balance of the two is what will help Boston achieve their goals.

“I think you have to have both of those things,” Mazzulla said after Boston’s Apr. 12 win over the Charlotte Hornets. “I think you have to have a balance of knowing [that] you’re a really good team, but also the humility to understand that you can lose at any time. I think the guys have carried that perspective the entire season. 

“So, you’re not going to go in talking yourself down. At the same time, you want to have a level of humility. So, you understand what you’re really good at, and you understand that you could lose at any time if you don’t do X, Y, and Z. So, it’s just a focus on kind of having that balance, which I think the guys have done the entire year.”

Further Reading

After Career Night, Reflective Payton Pritchard Discusses NBA Journey and His Ultimate Pursuit

'Nip That in the Bud': Celtics Address End-of-Season Struggles

Jrue Holiday on Celtics Extension: 'Try to Get More Banners, Get More Rings'

Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented

Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'