PHILADELPHIA – Payton Pritchard left Game 2 feeling like a shell of himself.
After shooting 4-of-12 (2-of-9 from three) in Game 1, he followed it up with just 2-of-8 shooting (0-of-4 from three) in Game 2. His eight shot attempts were tied for his third-fewest in any game this season in which he played at least 25 minutes.
By Game 3, though, something started to shift.
“I was telling some of the coaches, like I thought it was a step in the right direction as far as my aggression and getting my rhythm back,” Pritchard recalled. “It was something I felt in the moment. I felt more aggressive. I felt like I was in a better rhythm, especially with my jump shot. So I was happy with it. Thought it was a step in the right direction, getting to where I want to get to.”
Maybe it started with the two first-quarter threes, matching his Game 1 total. Or the 27-foot pull-up over Paul George late in the third. Or even the step-back triple as the shot clock expired, stretching a two-point lead to five with just over a minute remaining.
Whatever sparked that feeling, it carried over into Game 4.
Pritchard poured in a postseason career-high 32 points (12-of-21 FG, 6-of-12 from three), trailing only Kevin McHale’s 34 points in Game 6 of the 1991 Eastern Conference Semifinals against Detroit for the most by a Celtics reserve in franchise history. He singlehandedly outscored the 76ers’ bench, 32-24.
He became just the second player in NBA playoff history, alongside Hall of Famer Walter Davis, to post at least 30 points and five assists without a turnover off the bench in a postseason game.
“He finds the game. As soon as he comes in, he knows exactly what the game needs. Whether it’s defensively, whether it’s with offensive rebounding, or just scoring,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “He has a level of understanding that when he has it going, he’s a difference maker for us, and he’s a stabilizer of our offense.”
It was a stabilizer the Celtics needed Sunday night in Philadelphia.
With Jayson Tatum (1-of-7) and Jaylen Brown (3-of-9) combining for just 13 first-half points on 4-of-16 shooting (25%), it was Pritchard who carried the load, scoring 18 first-half points (7-of-12 FG, 4-of-8 from three). Thirteen of those came in the first quarter, where his three made threes were tied for the most by any player in a first quarter this postseason.
The reigning Sixth Man of the Year’s confidence and swagger radiated throughout the Xfinity Mobile Arena, on full display during a stretch when he knocked down back-to-back threes in the first quarter. The second, a running 30-foot pull-up, was only his second make of the night, and it sent him barking toward Hall of Famer Reggie Miller at the NBC broadcast table as he jogged back down the floor.
Payton Pritchard buries a DEEP 3 and gives a look to Reggie Miller court side!
📺 NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/vx70ANy4za
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) April 26, 2026
“It’s just friendly banter. I get going off that,” Pritchard said of his back-and-forth with Miller. “I black out in moments, so I don’t really know what I say at times. It helps.”
Pritchard’s explosion helped the Celtics build an 18-point halftime lead despite early scoring struggles from Tatum and Brown. And even as both stars found their rhythm after the break, he remained central to the offensive surge. His 14 third-quarter points set a new postseason career high for a single quarter, surpassing the 13 he had already poured in during the first, as he helped power Boston to a 32-point victory.
“We’ve seen him. He’s had big performances for us this year. We trust him with the ball in his hands, especially when he’s got it going like that,” Brown said. “You just tell him to keep going and play off of him.”
That trust starts at the top, with Mazzulla.
“He’s definitely in my ear all the time about being aggressive. Especially since the playoffs have come around,” Pritchard said. “When you’re hearing your coaches say that — that gives you the ultimate freedom.”
This freedom has been earned over six NBA seasons, built slowly through opportunity, consistency, and the trust earned by doing the right things over time.
“P’s a gym rat. That’s one thing that is consistent and constant about him, always,” Tatum said. “He is always gonna be in the gym, working on his game, working on his craft, trying to get better. It shows in moments like tonight because he’s just relentless in how hard he works.”
“The work ethic speaks for itself. When you see someone put in the work behind the scenes, moments like this feel all the better,” added Brown. “Big game from Payton. And we’re going to look forward to having more big games throughout the playoffs.”
The Celtics now hold a 3-1 series lead, and after a quiet start to the matchup, Pritchard has rediscovered his rhythm at exactly the right time. After totaling just 16 points over the first two games, he has erupted for 47 over the last two, reestablishing the scoring punch Boston can draw from its bench and reinforcing the kind of swing factor he can become when the moment shifts his way in a playoff series.
“Just his ability to create his own shot and how well, obviously, he can shoot the ball,” Tatum said. “It’s a luxury to have a guy like that, who can score with the best of them coming off the bench on your team.”
