The most important part of the Celtics' 120-106 win over the Raptors Thursday night? Let's be honest. It was probably Payton Pritchard.
After a flurry of hesitant play since his return from a knee injury, Pritchard re-emerged as the offensive threat the Celtics so desperately need. The guard netted 20 points in 29 minutes.
There were other storylines that should have been of note, such as Jaylen Brown's knee tendonitis (limiting him to just 12 points), and the kind of Kemba Walker (21 points) showing this team will desperately need.
But the most eye-popping portion of the night came from Semi Ojeleye. Twenty-four points in 30 minutes.
This was just the fourth time this season he has found double-figures, and marked it was just the second game in Ojeleye's four NBA seasons he eclipsed 20 points.
He is a nice complementary player who plays solid defense and can usually be economic in his offensive movements. But this was something different. This was a reminder that got Ojeleye on the radar in the first place.
In case you didn't know, Ojeleye is one of the most prolific scorers in Kansas High School basketball history, setting single season and career scoring records for the state his senior season.
After that final season at Ottawa High, Ojeleye came away with a 38-points-per-game average, winning the Parade Boys Basketball Player of the Year, beating out the likes of Andrew Wiggins and Aaron Gordon.
It was a glimpse of what once was, and what the Celtics hope will be.
“We are all really confident in Semi,” Walker said. “He works so hard, and I’m always constantly talking to him and telling him to shoot those shots. Tonight, he shot it with confidence and we kept finding him. He kept shooting it, and you see the results.”
“Semi is a very reliable guy. He’s a very reliable player,” Stevens said. “I feel like you always know you can go to him and know exactly what you’re getting.”
"I’m just happy for my guy Semi,” said Pritchard. “He’s a shooter. He was strapping tonight. He should just keep on shooting. It’s money."