Early in the second quarter, Payton Pritchard climbed the trees among three Miami Heat players and snagged an offensive board he had no business coming down with.
The rebound followed a missed corner three-pointer by Sam Hauser. As soon as the ball left Hauser’s hand, the Pritchard exploded from the top of the key in a desperate attempt to chase down the ball. With Hauser’s shot bouncing off the rim multiple times before descending, Pritchard had to adjust his trajectory mid-air before successfully grabbing the rebound.
After grabbing the board, the 6-foot-1 guard strongly went up for a putback layup. The deuce extended the Boston Celtics’ lead to 18 points and marked the culmination of a blistering 16-4 scoring run by the Celtics.
As Pritchard made his way back down the floor, he turned and flexed, screaming at the Celtics’ bench. In response, the entire bench erupted from their seats, mirroring his gesture with flexed muscles of their own.
The Celtics were fired up, and Pritchard was fueling the fire.
Although mere box score metrics won’t highlight Pritchard’s impact in Game 3 – finishing with seven points, three rebounds, and an assist – he played a pivotal role in the win, dictating the pace of the game, which helped Boston’s offense find it’s stride in the second quarter, and providing incredible pressure on the defensive end.
“It starts with him, and it’s the bench in general,” Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “When you can change the tempo of the game by putting in different lineups, and have different guys, I think it helps us. It takes the pressure off those other guys. He’s been tremendous for us, dictating the pace and really dictating the physicality of the game.”
For the first time in two years, Pritchard is logging consistent playoff minutes. Over the first three games of the 2024 postseason, the 26-year-old guard has played 69 minutes, surpassing his total of 57 minutes across 10 appearances last season.
“Payton’s energy has been fantastic for us all year,” Jaylen Brown said. “Him just making shots, him just making plays, him getting on the glass. Payton is a dawg. We look forward to him being able to make those plays down the line in the playoffs, but he did a great job tonight.”
One thing is certain: whenever Pritchard hits the court, he brings an undeniable energy and a strong sense of confidence. This was vividly showcased in Game 3.
“Payton is one of the most confident guys I’ve ever been around,” Jayson Tatum said after the win. “At every given moment, he walks out there like he’s the best player. To have that confidence, it’s special. We need him to be like that – being aggressive on both ends, being able to attack closeouts, create his own shot, create for others. To have that off the bench, it’s special.”
Pritchard has been a critical piece in the Celtics’ success this season, consistently providing quality, high-energy minutes by doing the little things he prides himself on.
“I just think that’s how I’m always gonna play no matter what role I’m in,” Pritchard told WEEI.com earlier this season on those energy-infusing plays. “I’m gonna leave it all out on the floor every time.”
The former first-round pick has grown considerably in his new role and has put together the best season of his young NBA career. With Pritchard stepping up consistently and the bench providing solid contributions throughout the season, it’s a worrying prospect for the rest of the Eastern Conference.
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