Celtics Survive Brooklyn Scare in Double OT Thriller, Behind Pritchard’s Career Night and Rookie Heroics
The Boston Celtics walked into Barclays Center on Friday night knowing full well the Brooklyn Nets were coming off an embarrassing blowout loss to the Knicks. Desperate teams are dangerous, and the Celtics found that out the hard way.
Despite missing starting point guard Derrick White, Boston had every reason to take care of business. But from the opening tip, the Celtics looked flat. Sluggish on both ends, they let a hungry Nets squad hang around-and then take control-for most of the night.
Boston trailed for large stretches, struggling to find rhythm offensively and getting beat to 50-50 balls. But midway through the fourth quarter, the Celtics finally looked like the team that’s built a strong 28-16 record this season. They put together a run, wrestled back the lead, and seemed poised to close things out.
That’s when Brooklyn punched back.
The Nets capitalized on some late-game tightness from the Celtics, forcing overtime with a flurry of clutch plays. In the first extra frame, both teams traded buckets, neither giving an inch. And when the Nets went up by four with just seconds left, it looked like Boston was cooked.
Enter Hugo Gonzalez.
The rookie, who had already logged a solid night with 10 points, 7 boards, an assist, a steal and a block, found himself at the center of the moment. With the Celtics needing a miracle, head coach Joe Mazzulla drew up a play to get him open-and the kid delivered. Gonzalez buried the shot that forced double overtime, showing poise well beyond his years.
That clutch moment cracked the door open. Jaylen Brown and Amari Williams kicked it down.
Brown was everywhere in the second overtime, finishing with a triple-double: 27 points, 10 rebounds, 12 assists, plus a steal. He controlled the tempo, made the right reads, and hit big shots when it mattered most. Williams, who had been quiet until then, came up huge in double OT-scoring all 3 of his points, dishing an assist, and swatting a key shot to help Boston finally put the Nets away, 130-126.
But the engine behind it all? Payton Pritchard.
The guard was locked in from the jump, pouring in a game-high 32 points along with 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and a steal. He was the steady hand Boston needed on a night when they lacked their usual floor general. Pritchard’s shooting kept the Celtics within striking distance, and his confidence never wavered.
Sam Hauser also stepped up, adding 19 points, 4 boards, 3 assists, and a steal. His floor spacing gave Boston the breathing room it needed to operate, especially in the second half.
Off the bench, Luka Garza chipped in 12 points with some timely buckets, while Anfernee Simons contributed 10 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals-bringing energy and shot-making to a unit that needed both.
It wasn’t pretty. In fact, it was downright gritty. But Boston found a way.
With the win, the Celtics improve to 28-16 and now turn their attention to the second night of a back-to-back, heading to Chicago for a Saturday showdown with the Bulls. If Friday’s marathon taught us anything, it’s that this team has the depth and resolve to battle through adversity-and sometimes, that’s just as important as a hot shooting night.
Stay tuned. This Celtics squad may not always make it easy, but they’re sure making it interesting.