Pritchard enjoys career night in blowout
Scores 31 points and dishes out 11 assists
Jrue Holiday’s contract extension this week made sure that the Celtics’ starting core — which has led the team to the NBA’s best record — remains intact for the foreseeable future.
And while that deal was critical to help Boston sustain its championship hopes, the Celtics got a reminder Friday night that they also boast one of the league’s best backup guards for years to come.
Payton Pritchard inked an extension prior to this season that will keep him with the Celtics through 2028. He’s gotten even better, and showing to be one of the NBA’s best values. A year after he revealed his frustrations publicly about a lack of playing time, Pritchard’s role has expanded and he has continued to seize all his opportunities. The theme continued Friday, as he scored a career-high 31 points and dished out 11 assists to lead the Celtics to an easy 131-98 victory over the 60-loss Hornets.
Pritchard’s performance was a culmination of what’s been a breakthrough fourth season. He has played in all 81 games, and will likely play an 82nd in Sunday’s regularseason finale. He’s flourishing in a consistent role, and the Celtics are reaping the benefits.
“It’s definitely a big accomplishment for me,” Prtichard said. “To play 82 games is tough, but through the summer, the work I put in to get my body ready for that. But also the journey for me, last year, in my second year of times where I didn’t play at all and how frustrating that is and how much that hurt at times.
“But it just fueled me to keep working, and for this year to come and play 82 games and be a part of the best team in the NBA and try to do something special, it feels good.”
Pritchard’s blend of shot-making and playmaking was on full display in this rout. With the ball dominant in his hands, he had 13 points and five assists in the first quarter as he scored or assisted on 24 of the Celtics’ 30 points.
The Hornets kept things close, and trailed 38-35 early in the second quarter before the Celtics broke the game open with a 31-8 run to end the half. Pritchard scored or assisted on the Celtics’ final 16 points of that run as they staked a 26-point halftime lead and never looked back. He had 23 points and nine assists at the break, becoming the first Celtic to compile those numbers in the first half. Luka Doncic is the only other NBA player who has hit that mark this season.
Friday was a testament to Pritchard’s comfort level. While he may have been unclear about his role when he did play last season, he’s now in control whenever he’s on the floor this year — whether it’s finding his own shot or running the offense.
“I mean, for any player, you get spot minutes, it’s tough,” Pritchard said. “You don’t know when it’s gonna come. When you do get minutes, like what is your role out there? What are you being put out there for? I think in the past, a lot of the time it wasn’t necessarily for me to be like a point guard or even like a playmaker. It was really to try to come in and hit some 3s and bring energy defensively, rebounding, stuff like that.
“I think my role has definitely grown a little bit this year. With that, I’ve grown and been better at playmaking. But just making the game easier for myself, but also my teammates.”
Pritchard scored his career-high 31st point with three minutes left in the third quarter before taking the fourth quarter off with the game in hand. He said he didn’t have an appetite to add to his tally.
“Not at all,” Pritchard said. “I’m not really like stat-chasing. I think eventually in my career, I’ll get another opportunity and I’ll pass it then.”
The expanded opportunity for Pritchard on Friday came because the Celtics’ top six players rested as the team made health to its best players a priority with the playoffs around the corner. Luke Kornet and Sam Hauser each scored 16 points, but the game also served as a chance for members of the Maine Celtics to get some extra work in together before they play in Monday’s winner-take-all Game 3 of the G-League Finals.
After losing in Game 2 of the Finals on Thursday night in Oklahoma City, the Maine Celtics flew back to Boston and landed early Friday morning. On little sleep — four players from the squad — Jordan Walsh, Neemias Queta, JD Davison and Drew Peterson — got some extended run and made notable impacts. Queta had 16 points, six rebounds and five assists and Walsh had eight points — including his first two career 3-pointers — as they closed out the victory.
This is a unique opportunity for the Maine players, who are literally in the middle of chasing their own championship, but the opportunity to continue to develop in real NBA minutes is even more important for them longterm. They plan to play again in Sunday’s finale, a day before they head up to Maine for the G-League Finals.
“I think it’s about building habits, good habits, winning habits,” Queta said. “Being able to come out on the floor and play meaningful minutes on the NBA court is something we value a lot and it’s gonna be important for our development long term, so the more minutes we can play and be able to contribute to winning, the more happy we can be.”