Payton Pritchard Drops 28, Celtics Beat Nets by 50
Last season the Boston Celtics finished the regular season with a 57-25 record, securing themselves as the number two seed heading into the Eastern Conference playoffs. Unfortunately for the Celtics though they were not able to go super deep in the playoffs losing to small forward Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in the second round in a long seven-game series. With this being the case, the Celtics did everything they could during this past offseason to give them the best possible chance to win the NBA Finals this year. Most importantly they were able to bring point guard Jrue Holiday, trading away center Robert Williams III, point guard Malcolm Brogdon, and two future first-round draft picks, and center Kristaps Porzingis, trading away veteran Celtic guard Marcus Smart, power forward Danilo Gallinari, center Mike Muscala and a second round 2023 pick in a multi-team trade, to Boston and while they haven’t won a ring yet, things sure are looking good up there.
The Celtics have played 55 games this season, winning 43 of them. They’ve played 29 of these games at home and only lost three of them! When you look at these numbers there is no ability to deny that the Boston Celtics have the best chance, they have had in a long time to win their first NBA championship this season since 2008. They are led by one of if not the best young duos in the NBA made up of small forward Jayson Tatum and shooting guard Jaylen Brown. Tatum, averaging 27 points and nine rebounds this season and Brown, averaging 22 points this season, have both been selected to play in Indianapolis this weekend for this year's NBA All-Star Game. However, while these two guys may be the only two Celtics to play this weekend, center Kristaps Porzingis and point guard Derrick White’s work this season has not gone unnoticed by any means. Porzingis, averaging 20 points and two blocks a game this season has been the big man this franchise desperately needed as center Al Horford is nearing his retirement. White, averaging 15 points, one steal, and one block a game this year is arguably the best season of his career, cementing himself as the best role player in the NBA, and if someone manages to stop him or any of these other three guys mentioned, you’ve still guard point guard Jrue Holiday and the bench coming right at you to get a bucket on offense and a stop on defense.
The Celtics most recently played the Brooklyn Nets and made them look pitiful. They ended up winning the game by 50, 136-86, and their leading scorer in the game was none other than backup point guard Payton Pritchard who dropped 28 points. These 28 points are a season-high for Pritchard and while he played incredibly knocking down six different attempts from behind the arc, he was not the only Celtic on fire. Point guard Derrick White dropped 27 points in one of his better games so far this season and while Celtics star small forward Jayson Tatum did have 20 points, he did a great job swinging the rock leading himself to nine assists as soon as he found out how hot his teammates were. While Celtics star shooting guard Jaylen Brown was out in this one dealing with a right shoulder contusion Boston didn’t even need him tonight as no one on the Nets seemed to be able to figure out anything offensively or defensively. Are the Celtics going to be NBA Champions in a few months?
