In a star-studded matchup on Sunday, Payton Pritchard stole the spotlight from the likes of LeBron James and Luka Doncic, leading the Boston Celtics to a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers. Pritchard's performance was nothing short of electric, as he poured in 30 points, missing only four shots and leaving the Lakers scrambling for answers.
Pritchard’s dazzling footwork was on full display, sending Jared Vanderbilt to the floor with a jaw-dropping stepback in the second quarter and keeping Doncic on his toes throughout the game. His performance had fans and teammates buzzing, with Jaylen Brown noting, “Me and Payton share the same mentality, dog. When I see him, and he's got that, you just get the hell out the way.”
Embracing the storied Celtics-Lakers rivalry, Pritchard played with a palpable intensity at Crypto.com Arena. He celebrated with teammates and even shared a light-hearted exchange with Hall-of-Famer Reggie Miller after a clutch three-pointer over Austin Reaves.
Pritchard later explained, “I think it's just the rivalry. Felt like I'm back in my college days... just rivalry will bring out of you.”
Known for rising to the occasion in rivalry games, Pritchard’s history of clutch performances is well-documented, dating back to his college days with Oregon.
Pritchard has been a revelation off the bench for Boston, contributing significantly to their recent success, which includes winning eight of their last ten games. In his role as a reserve, he’s averaging an impressive 23.6 points, 6.3 assists, and 3.6 rebounds, shooting 54.5% from the field and 44.6% from deep.
Despite his bench role, Pritchard’s mindset remains focused on reading defenses and making smart plays. “Just reading, reacting, seeing which way their hips are turning, the feet where I can get separation,” he shared. His ability to score from all three levels of the court has been pivotal.
Pritchard also appreciates the longer stretches of playing time that come with his bench role, allowing him to find his rhythm more easily. Reflecting on this, he remarked, “The starting thing is kinda pointless, cause, like, in a way, I probably play more minutes.”
Something has clearly clicked for Pritchard, and he’s determined to keep evolving. “I'm still evolving, [there’s] another step I can get to.
So just gonna keep working, and I'm gonna get to it.” As Pritchard continues to shine, the Celtics look poised for a strong run, with their Sixth Man leading the charge.