It's been an up and down 2025-26 campaign for Payton Pritchard so far, but when the Celtics needed him most, the now starting point guard for coach Joe Mazzulla did not disappoint in the team's 117-115 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers Sunday.
On a night where the C's were short-handed, with Derrick White (calf contusion) and Neemias Queta (ankle sprain) both sidelined due to injury management, Pritchard stepped up to have the breakout 42-point (season-high) performance many had been waiting for since being promoted from his previous sixth-man role.
Shooting 15-of-22 (68.2%) from the field, including 6-of-11 (54.5%) from deep to go along with three rebounds and three assists -- Pritchard spoke to NBC Sports Boston in Cleveland after coming up one-point shy of tying his career-high, about bouncing back following a subpar showing in the Celtics' 119-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on the first night of a back-to-back.
"Disappointed off of how I played last night in Minnesota," Pritchard said in his postgame interview. "So, I wanted to come out here and give it everything I've got tonight and try to pull out this win."
Despite the Celtics leading by as many as 21 in the third quarter, the Cavs cut the deficit to two in the final seconds of the fourth frame but it was Pritchard who hit big time shots and clutch free throws (6-of-6) to hold off Cleveland's comeback down the stretch, which was a far cry from a nine-point on 4-of-14 from the floor and 1-of-8 from behind the arc stat-line Saturday against the T-Wolves.
"He puts obviously a ton of pressure on himself," Mazzulla told reporters of Pritchard. "You just always know, in games when he is not the best version of himself, he is going to bounce back quickly. It's the sign of a great player and he did that. He got off to a great start. You just saw a difference in his approach, his mindset and really his aggressiveness. It was a [great] game from him."
Pritchard became the second Celtic to notch 40 points in a span of 24 hours, as Jaylen Brown was coming off a 40-piece in Minnesota. However, on the second night of the team's back-to-back, Brown instead spread the wealth while notching his fourth-career triple-double with 19 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists (career-tying) -- which Pritchard benefited from greatly against the Cavaliers.
"He just affects the game in so many ways," Pritchard said postgame of Brown. "He can score like you saw last night, but tonight, a triple-double – it helps get our team going. You know, he's an exceptional player. He's a top player in this league."
The Celtics at 11-9 have won six of their last eight and look to win two in a row when they host the New York Knicks (13-6) Tuesday night. NBC/Peacock will have the tip-off from TD Garden beginning at 8:00 pm ET.
Joel Pavón
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