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Payton Pritchard Turns First-Round Series With 32-Point Breakthrough for Celtics

Joe Mazzulla’s late-game trust signals a larger postseason role for the sixth-year guard.

Overview

  • Payton Pritchard led Boston with a career-playoff-high 32 points in a 128-96 Game 4 win over the 76ers.
  • His 32 off the bench ranked second all-time for a Celtics reserve in the playoffs, trailing only Kevin McHale’s 34 in 1991 per NBC.
  • In Game 3, he stayed on for the entire fourth quarter and hit a sidestep three with 1:20 left to push Boston’s lead to two possessions.
  • He opened the season as the starting point guard and lifted his attacks to 11.9 drives per game with elite isolation efficiency, according to NBA tracking data.
  • Boston now leans on his shooting and low-turnover play as the bracket toughens against bigger, more physical teams later in the playoffs.