Payton Pritchard Drops 42 as Celtics Survive Late Cavaliers Surge
On a night when the Boston Celtics were missing key pieces and nearly let a 21-point lead slip through their fingers, it was Payton Pritchard who stepped up and delivered the performance of his career. The fourth-year guard poured in a season-high 42 points, helping Boston edge out the Cleveland Cavaliers, 117-115, in a game that turned into a nail-biter down the stretch.
Let’s be clear - this wasn’t just a hot shooting night for Pritchard. He was the engine of Boston’s offense, especially when things got dicey late. Whether it was knocking down big shots or calmly sinking clutch free throws, Pritchard was the steady hand the Celtics needed with Jayson Tatum still sidelined and other starters resting.
Boston looked like they were going to cruise early. They built a 21-point cushion in the third quarter and still held an 11-point lead with under two minutes to go. But the Cavaliers, led by Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland, weren’t ready to go quietly.
Mitchell, who had been unusually quiet for most of the night, suddenly found his rhythm. He drilled back-to-back threes to cut the deficit to just two with 20.5 seconds left. That’s when Pritchard stepped to the line and knocked down two huge free throws to push the lead back to four.
Still, Cleveland wouldn’t go away. Garland splashed a deep three with 1.2 seconds remaining, cutting the lead to one.
After a timeout, the Celtics inbounded to Jaylen Brown, who was fouled and made one of two from the line, giving the Cavs one last shot. But Evan Mobley’s jumper at the buzzer came up short, and Boston exhaled.
Brown, who’s been carrying a heavier load with Tatum out, recorded his fourth career triple-double - 19 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists. It’s his first since January 2024, and while it wasn’t a flashy scoring night by his standards, Brown’s all-around game was crucial in keeping the Celtics afloat during Cleveland’s comeback attempt.
Mobley was a force for the Cavs, finishing with 27 points and 14 boards. Garland added 21, and Mitchell ended with 18 - well below his season average, though his late-game surge nearly flipped the outcome.
Boston also got a surprising boost from rookie Jordan Walsh, who posted career-highs with 14 points and 11 rebounds. With multiple starters out, Walsh made the most of his extended minutes, showing flashes of why the Celtics are high on his potential.
Both teams were dealing with a long list of injuries. The Celtics were without Tatum once again and gave Derrick White and Neemias Queta the night off for rest and recovery.
Queta, in particular, had been coming off a monster 19-point, 18-rebound outing. The Cavaliers were also shorthanded, missing Jarrett Allen, Larry Nance Jr., Lonzo Ball, and Sam Merrill.
This game had all the makings of a blowout early, but credit to Cleveland for turning it into a thriller. And credit to Pritchard for slamming the door shut when it mattered most.
Next up for Boston: a home matchup against the Knicks on Dec. 2.