Payton Pritchard was the smallest man on the floor when he fought off three Heat players for an offensive rebound midway through Game 3. The point guard then faked a pass back out to the perimeter before sneaking in a putback layup which capped a 16-4 Boston run midway through the second quarter.
The sequence drew the biggest reaction of the night from Boston’s bench as Pritchard screamed back at them. The reserve guard was one of many Celtic players who failed to make an imprint on Game 2 and came back with determination on Saturday night. Pritchard’s box score line (eight points in 25 minutes) won’t stand out from the 104-84 Game 3 win but his fingerprints were all over Boston’s best defensive performances in two years.
Pritchard shared the floor with Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and the bench as Boston separated themselves from Miami to begin the second quarter thanks to a feisty backcourt attack. Pritchard, Holiday and Derrick White were physical and relentless all night against Miami’s guards, playing with purpose to ensure nothing came easy. The trio helped to force 12 turnovers that led to 24 Boston points.
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Offensively, Pritchard played with great pace all night long, helping snap Boston’s offense out of a sluggish first quarter. He was determined to keep the ball moving for himself and his teammates and that stood out to Boston’s biggest star.
“Man, Payton is one of the most confident guys I’ve ever been around,” Jayson Tatum said. “Any given moment, you know, he walks out there like he’s the best player. To have that confidence is special and we need him to be like that: being aggressive on both ends, being able to attack closeouts and create his own shot, create for others. And to have that off the bench is special.”
With Pritchard getting the first consistent playoff minutes in two years, he’s gone from a short stint to securing starter-level minutes (25) in pivotal road matchups. His consistency has been as good as anyone on the bench all year and Joe Mazzulla knows the value of what’s he is bringing to the table.
“It starts with him and it’s the bench in general,” Mazzulla said. “When you can change the tempo of the game by putting in different lineups I think it helps us and takes the pressure some off other guys. So he’s been tremendous for us dictating the pace and really dictating the physicality of the game.”
The Celtics have had a huge talent edge on paper against the Heat and that should include the bench if Pritchard can maintain this level. If so, Boston’s chances of getting out of the East look better by the day.
