The Milwaukee Bucks ready for this.
They knew how harmful Payton Pritchard could possibly be when he obtained from 3-point vary, particularly in end-of-quarter heave conditions. They devoted pregame prep time to creating certain Pritchard didn’t beat them, regardless of the actual fact he’s a bench participant on a Celtics group that options Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and two different top-50 starters.
“It’s so humorous — it’s not — however this morning I actually circled his title,” Bucks head coach Doc Rivers lamented. “I used to be like, ‘This man is available in and he’s a game-changer.’”
Rivers was proper about that.
Pritchard was, in Brown’s phrases, “a killer” in opposition to Milwaukee on Monday evening, hitting eight of his 12 threes to energy the Celtics to a 119-108 win at TD Backyard. His sixth triple beat the third-quarter buzzer and helped flip what had been a good recreation — the Bucks led at half and had been inside one basket for a lot of the third — into a cushty win for the undefeated C’s.
It was the most recent buzzer-beater from a participant who buried a number of in the course of the Celtics’ championship run, together with one in Recreation 5 of the NBA Finals, and it left Rivers wanting downright defeated. The ex-Celtics coach had his arms on his knees as Pritchard obtained an inbounds move from Tatum and sprinted previous Bucks guard Delon Wright, then sagged his head towards the parquet because the shot went in.
As a result of, once more, the Bucks had ready for this.
“We needed to channel him to the center. We talked about it this morning,” Rivers informed reporters. “Finish of the quarter, he all the time tries to interrupt off proper. We went over that. So it wasn’t a Pritchard response. It was extra my response that that is one thing we coated and we had been there, and we let him go proper. Proper when he went proper, I didn’t know if it was going to go in. I simply didn’t assume good issues had been about to occur, and it didn’t.”
Fittingly, Pritchard referred to the shot as “a intestine punch,” saying he’ll all the time try these with no regard for his capturing share as a result of he is aware of they will result in “loopy” momentum swings.
Bucks star Damian Lillard confirmed that containing Boston’s backup level guard was a pregame level of emphasis for Milwaukee, which watched him hit 5 3-pointers in a Celtics-Bucks matchup final season.
“We talked about it earlier than the sport began, like, we are able to’t let him are available in and have that sort of affect on the sport,” Lillard, who’s identified Pritchard because the latter was an Oregon center schooler, informed reporters. “And he got here out and had that sort of affect on the sport. … He’s a tough employee, he’s a believer and he’s going to consider in himself even when he’s lacking photographs.
“However in case you let him are available in and get a pair clear seems to be and get a layup or no matter, he’s going to have that sort of affect on the sport, particularly when he’s achieved it for a group that’s gained a championship. The assumption goes to be there much more. We talked about it, and we simply didn’t do a ok job not permitting that to occur.”
Pritchard completed with 28 factors on 10-of-14 capturing in 28 minutes, including 5 rebounds, three assists and two steals. His manufacturing helped the Celtics face up to a lackluster first half from Tatum and Brown (who got here alive after halftime to complete with 30 factors) and a 3rd consecutive DNP for fellow bench scorer Sam Hauser, who’s been sidelined with decrease again ache.
Since going 1-for-9 in Boston’s season opener, Pritchard is capturing a elegant 62.1% from past the arc (18 of 29) and has to rank among the many very early favorites for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the 12 months. His 19 made threes had been tied for the league lead getting into Tuesday.
“He’s simply robust,” Rivers mentioned. “A bit robust dude. He’s that little pest that simply will get beneath all people’s pores and skin, that retains coming. Gritty, sensible. However he’s proficient. He shoots the hell out of the ball. He’s obtained a knack for stripping guys on rebounds. He is aware of the right way to play basketball. He’s good for that group.”