Inside The Celtics

Despite Doc Rivers' Warning, Payton Pritchard 'Did it Again' to the Bucks: 'I Live for Those Moments'

Bobby Krivitsky

Oct 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) reacts after a shot during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
Oct 28, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) reacts after a shot during the first half against the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images
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The Celtics found themselves needing a spark in Monday night's matchup against the Bucks. It arrived when Payton Pritchard hopped off the bench.

Just over a minute into his first shift, he sprinted the floor and buried a transition three from the corner, evening the score at 19. He made four of his first five attempts -- crucial for an offense that struggled to find a rhythm.

While Boston entered halftime a frigid 8/25 [32 percent] from beyond the arc, Pritchard converted on 5/8 triples and was 7/10 from the field. He had 19 points in the first two frames, subbing out to a loud ovation from the TD Garden faithful late in the first half.

"I thought he [Pritchard] kept us in it in the first half," voiced Joe Mazzulla after the Celtics' 119-108 victory in a game that could serve as an Eastern Conference Finals preview.

Pritchard finished with 28 points off the bench. Only Jaylen Brown [30] scored more for the hosts. The former Oregon Duck made 10/14 shots [71.4 percent], including a blistering 8/12 threes [66.7 percent].

According to Celtics Stats, the team's official statistics account, Pritchard tied Eddie House's franchise record with eight made threes off the bench.

"Payton, what he does speaks for itself. He's a killer," said Jaylen Brown after the win. "And he's always looking to put pressure on the defense. And we just played through him tonight. And we love that."

When asked about his team playing through him on Monday, Pritchard conveyed, "If we just play the right way, drive, kick, make the simple passes, the shots are gonna fall. So, I just try to play the right way, make the right reads regardless, and if my shot is there, I take it."

That includes as quarter's close.

When the ball is in Pritchard's hands as the final seconds tick off the clock, a palpable buzz enters the arena. Everyone, from the players to the coaches and the people packing the stands, knows his track record, instilling belief -- or fear, in the case of the opponent -- he might deliver again -- like he did on Monday.

"I live for those moments, [with] the clock winding down; I think there were six seconds left. Get to a spot and raise," said Pritchard of his buzzer-beating abilities. "I kind of blackout in those moments and let it fly, and obviously, it works out a lot of the time for me."

"It's a credit to Payton. A lot of guys won't take that shot, but he takes pride in it," said Joe Mazzulla. "He's just finding different ways to impact the game. Tonight, it was his shooting and his defense. Sometimes, it's his passing, but the kid's a competitor. I love watching him play."

As Doc Rivers' reaction to Pritchard's buzzer-beating three from 26 feet, giving Boston a 90-82 edge entering the final frame as part of an 18-2 run to break the game open, made clear, the Celtics' former bench boss was unable to share Mazzulla's enthusiasm.

"Payton Pritchard happened," said Rivers post-game. "It's so funny -- it's not -- but this morning, I literally circled his name. It's like, this guy comes in, and he's a game changer. I don't know if you remember last year, [but] we had a six-point lead, and he came in and changed the whole game. He did it again tonight. He got their three-ball going ... I thought that changed the game."

Rivers, who's in his 26th season as an NBA head coach, wasn't done expressing his admiration for Pritchard.

"He's just tough. [A] little tough dude. He's that little pest that gets under everybody's skin. He keeps coming. Gritty. Smart. But he's talented. He shoots the hell out of the ball. He's got a knack for stripping guys on rebounds. He knows how to play basketball. He's perfect for that team."

Pritchard's starring role in Monday night's win exemplified that.

On a team that may be starting four future Hall of Famers, the six-foot-one guard who comes off the bench is essential to what the reigning NBA champions accomplished last season and hope to replicate this go around.

"I feel like I give hope to everybody that is the same size as me," said Pritchard. "I'm not necessarily the most athletic, but with hard work, you can make it a long way, and I feel like I'm a prime example of that. I never quit, and I'll keep going. Anything you put your mind to in life, you can accomplish it. So, I'm proud to give hope to those people."

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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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