The Celtics had a full healthy roster for the first time all season at the start of Friday’s win over the Bulls but that did not keep them from leaning heavily on their sixth man when it mattered most. Payton Pritchard erupted for 19 of his season-high 29 points in the fourth quarter, helping Boston rally for a 138-129 victory over Chicago at the United Center on Friday night. It was the seventh straight win overall for Boston, pulling the team within a half-game of the Cavs for the top spot in the East. The victory also kept the Celtics alive in the NBA Cup, keeping the door open for a wildcard spot thanks to Pritchard’s heroics.
The point guard knocked down seven 3s in his 28 minutes, playing the final 19 minutes of the game after Derrick White was sidelined in the third quarter with a foot injury. He helped Boston take control of the game midway through the fourth quarter with 11 consecutive points for the visitors in a 11-4 run to quiet a Chicago crowd that thought the Bulls could pull off the upset in NBA Cup action.
“It’s obviously a great feeling but I feel like the best feeling is winning on the road and being able to help my team get over the hump tonight,” Pritchard told reporters in Chicago via NBC Sports Boston. “Obviously I feel it. I can hear the crowd, the gravity it pulls. It definitely was a fun night.”
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That scoring outburst came with Jayson Tatum (35 points) on the bench who could only rave about his 6-foot-1 teammate as he added to his Sixth Man of the Year case.
“I say all the time, me and P, the same high school class, so I’ve been seeing that fearless competitive nature ever since we was like 13,” Tatum told reporters. “It’s been pretty cool to see him grow into the player that he is, being effective on a championship team and the things that he’s doing is Sixth Man of the Year worthy for me.”
Pritchard scored 29 of the Celtics’ 34 points off the bench in the victory and was one of six Celtics in double figures. As his minutes and role rises in his fifth NBA season, he’s appreciative of the respect he’s earned from more seasoned members of the roster but believes it stems from one key thing.
“Through the hard work,” Pritchard explained. “They see the hours I put in, and that builds respect throughout my teammates. That’s how I get respect from other people, but also how other people earn my respect is through the work.”
That hard work has led the late first-round pick into becoming a crucial part of Boston’s title core. Entering his first year of a four-year contract, Pritchard remains eager to build on the best start of his career.
“Just being confident in yourself, knowing that you belong with the best, and all the hard work and the hours you put in, in the summer time, that you’re capable of coming and helping the team win any given night. I have a strong belief in myself, and I feel like my teammates believe in me too to be able to take that on.”
