Payton Pritchard's skills can no longer be denied

BOSTON – As Payton Pritchard had the ball in hand and the clock was running down, time seemed to stand still at TD Garden.

There are very few moments when the typically rowdy Boston crowd falls silent, but every fan in the building knows to tune in and watch in anticipation as the rowdy point guard sprints across the court.

Six seconds, five seconds, four seconds, three seconds.

It quickly became clear that Pritchard was heading straight for his spot, where he would raise it for a three-pointer at the end of the third quarter.

Nothing but net.

An exasperated Doc Rivers buried his face in his hands in frustration before Pritchard even released the ball – and the crowd, collectively holding their breath to prepare for the decisive moment, cheered loudly. Pritchard's teammates quickly hugged him on center court, as they had done countless times in recent years.

Only every time he does it, there's a little less shock on his teammates' faces – and a lot more awe.

Payton Pritchard's three-pointers at the end of the quarter have become an essential part of NBA basketball. Even the most casual fans know what to expect in those final seconds.

“I live for these moments – the clock goes down and there are six seconds left, I get to a point and I rise (up),” Pritchard said. “In those moments I kind of lose consciousness and just let it fly. And obviously it often works.”

One night it's a pull-up threesome, the next day it's a three-quarter court heave. It doesn't matter how much time he has left or where he gets the ball from – everyone in the arena knows Pritchard will find a way to make it fly.

And there is a very good chance that the opponent will come away completely demoralized. In this case, the Celtics' five-point lead quickly turned into an eight-point lead.

“If there are six seconds left on the clock and a quarter is ending, I'm looking for Payton immediately,” Jrue Holiday said after Tuesday night's 119-108 win over the Bucks. “He just has a knack for scoring. He has so many different ways to do it, he gets it in the paint, the halfcourt shot… the way he puts the ball in the basket is amazing.”

He's done it countless times now, the most famous being last year in Game 5 of the NBA Finals when he hit a half-court shot in his only seconds of the game. Legend has it that Pritchard even subbed in to hit a buzzer-beater during Game 2 of the NBA Finals.

Payton Pritchard shows what he can accomplish with a bigger chance

It would be a disservice to reduce Pritchard's night to just his signature shot, because while the extra basket was an undeniable boost, Pritchard's contributions this season went far beyond the shots.

The 6-foot-2 guard no longer just shoots a few times a night in inconsistent minutes. On Tuesday, in a game against an Eastern Conference opponent, he scored 28 points on 10-14 shooting, including 8-12 from three. When Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum struggled in the first half, Pritchard kept the Celtics in the game.

“Payton, what he does speaks for itself,” Brown said after the game, appearing speechless. “Payton is a murderer.”

Since his fellow sniper Sam Hauser was sidelined in the last three games due to back pain, Pritchard was able to benefit from more ball contact and minutes of action. In the last three games, he averaged 20.7 points on 60.7% shooting and completed 18 of 29 three-point attempts.

Brad Stevens and Joe Mazzulla both spoke glowingly about Pritchard throughout the 2022 season, which saw him drop out of the rotation in favor of Sixth Man of the Year Malcolm Brogdon. Now that Pritchard has taken primary guard responsibility off the bench, he has shown exactly why the Celtics prioritized his extension last offseason, despite his limited opportunities on the court. Every time he got the chance to play a bigger role, he showed that he was capable of it.

Joe Mazzulla said after the game that Pritchard's competitiveness is what sets him apart the most, regardless of what the rotation looks like or how many minutes he plays.

“He doesn’t care about the circumstances,” he said. “He doesn’t give a damn about anything other than competing at the highest level.”

Fittingly, Pritchard is very proud of the “most competitive” designation.

“I’m probably the most competitive person on our team,” he said. “I hate losing at anything, I want to win at everything, it doesn't matter if we play whiffleball before practice, I want to win.” That's how I've always been, and that's probably why I am today am here.”

The Bucks knew Pritchard was coming, but it didn't seem to matter

Doc Rivers said he circled Pritchard's name Monday morning, knowing how much of an impact he can have on a basketball game. When the Bucks were last in town last March, Pritchard had another standout performance, posting 19 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists.

“He’s just tough – little tough guy,” Rivers said. “He’s this little pest that gets under everyone’s skin and keeps coming back. Brave, smart – but he is talented. He shoots the ball like crazy. He has a knack for taking guys down on rebounds. He knows how to play basketball. He’s perfect for this team.”

And while Milwaukee may have been prepared, the heads-up didn't seem to matter as Pritchard still turned in one of his most impactful bench performances as a Celtic, setting a franchise record for most three-pointers made from the bench.

“We talked about it before the game started,” Damian Lillard said. “We can’t let him come in and have such an impact on the game. He came out and had such an impact on the game.”

The point guard's standout performance followed a viral video his wife, Emma, ​​posted on Instagram the day before of him spontaneously playing pickup basketball with a small child at a Seaport park.

“I had a hat on and didn't think anyone would really notice me, but these kids saw me from afar and screamed,” Pritchard explained after the win. “I ended up going there. It was low-key, really messing around, just playing 1-on-1 with them. They were actually pretty good, little, scrappy kids who just went for it. I definitely appreciate that and have spoken to them. I like moments like that. Felt like a kid again playing outside.”

It's a simple story that perfectly captures Pritchard and his undying obsession with the sport – even on his Sunday day off, he couldn't stay away from the courts.

“He prepared me,” Pritchard joked about the 1-on-1 duel in his sideline interview with NBC Sport Boston’s Abby Chin. “I played well today.”

This unwavering passion is one of the reasons he has captured the hearts of Bostonians and the basketball community at large. Today, just a few years after unsuccessfully asking for a trade, Pritchard has become one of the most popular players in Boston.

“I think it's because I look like an ordinary person,” Pritchard said of the support he received in Boston. “And I feel like I give hope to anyone as tall as me. I'm not necessarily the most athletic person, but with hard work you can go far and I think I'm the best example of that. I will never give up and keep going. You can achieve anything you set out to do in life. I’m proud to give these people hope.”

Pritchard's cap remains undetermined

Jrue Holiday knows Pritchard could play a bigger role on 29 other NBA teams.

“He might be a starter on any other team,” Holiday said Monday night.

But on this team, Pritchard has seized the opportunity to serve as another weapon on the team with two current All-Stars (Brown and Tatum), three former All-Stars (Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Holiday) and one likely candidate (Derrick White ).

Despite all his talent, he has established himself as a man who cannot be forgotten.

“He’s always looking up to put pressure on the defense,” Brown said. “If you don't pay attention to him, you're not protecting him, he's going to make you shine. We just played through it tonight.”

On Monday night, Pritchard showed what he is capable of when the opportunity presents itself and the shot falls. He recognizes that this season is an opportunity to continue to showcase his skills on a much larger scale.

And if these first few weeks are any indication, we're witnessing a huge jump right before our eyes.