When Doc Rivers went through his pregame notes, one name in particular got circled.
It wasn’t the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, Jayson Tatum. It wasn’t the reigning Eastern Conference and NBA Finals MVP, Jaylen Brown. Nor was it Boston’s All-Defensive guards, Derrick White or Jrue Holiday. It wasn’t even the ageless wonder, Al Horford. Instead, Rivers fixated on reserve guard Payton Pritchard.
“This morning, I literally circled his name,” Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said. “It’s like, this guy comes in, and he’s a game changer. If you remember, last year, we had a six-point lead, and he came in and changed the whole game. He did it again tonight.”
This wasn’t Rivers playing Monday Morning quarterback—he really did highlight Pritchard pregame. Damian Lillard confirmed it.
“We talked about it before the game started,” Lillard said. “We can’t let him come in and have that type of impact on the game, and he came out and had that type of impact on the game.”
Even with the Bucks keying in on him, they had no answer for Pritchard. The Oregon product dropped 28 points in under 28 minutes on 10-of-14 shooting (71.4%), including 8-of-12 from beyond the arc (66.7%). His eight threes tied Eddie House for the Celtics’ franchise record for most three-pointers off the bench.
Included in his eight three-pointers was the latest of his long-range heroics – a 26-foot stepback three, which capped off an 11-2 Boston run to end the third quarter, which left Rivers in shambles.
“It’s a credit to Payton. A lot of guys won’t take that shot, but he takes pride in it,” said Joe Mazzulla. “The guy is just good. I thought he kept us in it in the first half. And 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.”
It doesn’t matter what the situation is—whether it’s a pickup game at a local park with some kids while walking his dog or an early-season showdown between two Eastern Conference contenders—Pritchard simply wants to hoop, and he wants to do it at the highest level.
“He doesn’t care what the circumstances are,” Mazzulla said. He doesn’t give two s— about anything, really, other than just competing at the highest level. He’s a purist competitor. I really appreciate that about him.”
When the Celtics needed a spark on Monday night, it was Pritchard who delivered it. The 26-year-old knocked down five three-pointers in the first half, his most in a single half off the bench. His five triples matched Milwaukee’s total as a team and masked the stink of the rest of the Celtics shooting a combined 3-of-18 (16.6%), keeping the Celtics afloat.
“Honestly, I try to go into every game with the confidence to be aggressive. Looking for opportunities to attack, to get my shot off. And then defensively, just picking up and being a pest,” Pritchard said postgame. “Obviously, I’m not the biggest person in the world, so I’m not gonna be able to bump down low or do things like that. But it’s really just about the energy I got to bring every game, especially coming off the bench. Some nights, our starters might have low energy. It’s a long season, so I got to be responsible to bring it that night.”
And a pest he was on Monday night. Along with his 28 points, Pritchard contributed five rebounds, three assists, and two steals, prompting Rivers to use that exact term when discussing him.
“He’s just tough. Little tough dude,” Rivers said after the game. “He’s that little pest that gets under everyone’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. I mean, he knows how to play basketball. He’s perfect for that team.”
That he is. And on a night frustrations were boiling over officiating for the Celtics, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown shot a combined 6-of-19 (31.5%) from the field and 1-of-6 (16.6%) in the first half; this could have been a loss if not for the efforts of Pritchard, who continues to prove his worth to this Celtics’ team night in and night out.
“What he does speaks for itself. Payton is a killer,” Jaylen Brown said. “If you don’t pay attention to him and you don’t guard him, he’ll light you up. We just played through him tonight.”
Despite a rough shooting performance on opening night, where he went 1-of-10 from the field and 1-of-9 from deep, Pritchard leads all NBA reserves with 65 points and is tied for the league lead with 19 three-pointers. In the three games since that night, he has shot an impressive 20-of-33 (60.6%) from the field and 18-of-29 (62.0%) from beyond the arc.
“I’ve known him a long time. Since he was in like middle school,” Lillard said. “He’s a hard worker. He’s a believer. He’s going to believe himself even if he’s missing shots.”
It’s not by accident. At 6-foot-2, he’s had to work hard to get where he is and is determined to keep improving—something he hopes can inspire kids like the ones he played with at that Seaport area park.
“I feel like it comes because I look like an ordinary person. I feel like I give hope to everybody that is the same size as me. 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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