Inside The Celtics

Al Horford Shares Conversation with Payton Pritchard Before Game 5 Buzzer-Beater

Bobby Krivitsky

Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates after making a three pointer at the buzzer of halftime against the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 17, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates after making a three pointer at the buzzer of halftime against the Dallas Mavericks in game five of the 2024 NBA Finals at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports / Peter Casey-USA TODAY Sports
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En route to Banner 18, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard became the first player to make two buzzer-beaters from at least 30 feet in the NBA Finals, according to Stathead, which began tracking this in 1997-98, also known as the play-by-play era.

The one he hit in Boston's championship-clinching win in Game 5 against the Mavericks was from 50 feet, making it the furthest buzzer-beater in the NBA Finals in the play-by-play era, per the NBA.

"I never practice those in my life," conveyed Pritchard while sitting in a barber chair alongside Al Horford and Derrick White at Gillette's World Shaving Headquarters for Gillette's traditional 'championship shave.' "I just feel like I got deep range, and I find a spot that I can get it there, and I just believe, I guess. So, will it in. I guess that's the secret."

Horford, whose locker is near Pritchard's, looked over to his teammate and shared, "It was funny because before the game, remember, we were talking about how many dribbles you could take, how many seconds, how many dribbles you could potentially take, and we were talking about it, and I was like, 'Well, just to be safe, don't over-dribble.'"

Horford also praised the former Oregon Duck for burying Game 5's buzzer-beater with Luka Doncic flying towards him to contest his shot.

That shot seemed to represent the knockout blow that kept Dallas from getting up off the mat as Boston's dominant display on the TD Garden parquet that night propelled the franchise back to the NBA summit.

Further Reading

Al Horford, Raising Cane's, and a Region that Loves Him

On Derrick White and the Fuel for Unprecedented Journey to NBA's Best Role Player

Jayson Tatum, an NBA Champion Entering Peak of His Powers

Jaylen Brown Caps Career Year with NBA Finals MVP: 'Can't Even Put it into Words'

Tatum and Brown Reach NBA Summit, Lead Celtics to Banner 18

Dependable Xavier Tillman Discusses Learning to 'Be a Star in Your Own Role'

Celtics Detail Keys to Perhaps Their Best Quarter This Postseason

Sports Doctor Details Challenges, Risks of Kristaps Porzingis Playing in NBA Finals

Jrue Holiday's 'Championship DNA' Rubbing Off on Celtics

Inside the Moment that Propelled Celtics to NBA Finals Game 1 Win

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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