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Cavaliers coach praises Boston Celtics guard for notable new skill
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- Cavaliers coach praises Boston Celtics guard for notable new skill
Payton Pritchard , right from tipoff against the Cavaliers, effectively told everyone watching it was going to be one of those kinds of nights. He poured in eight points in less than two minutes, previewing what was to come the rest of the game.
Pritchard was critical in the Celtics’ win over the Cavs on Sunday, putting up a season-high 42 points. He shot 15-for-22 from the field and 6-for-11 on his 3-pointers. But Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson praised one of his notable new skills.
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“He’s good,” Atkinson told reporters after the game . “He’s strong. He’s got the midrange jumper. He can get in the lane and kind of bully you and do his little push-off thing and get that two. And obviously a deep, deep 3-point shooter. He’s really turned himself into a heck of a player.”
That short midrange jumper has been an effective weapon for Pritchard to open the season. It took some time for Pritchard to shake off his shooting slump on 3-pointers, but in the meantime, he got to the paint. Pritchard, as Atkinson also noted, can bully smaller guards like Darius Garland as he can get paint touches with consistency.
It’s just the latest skill Pritchard has added to his game. Last season, on a loaded roster, he earned the 2024-25 NBA Sixth Man of the Year coming off the bench. His shooting prowess was an obvious skill. But this season, the Celtics need more offense in all forms from Pritchard as a starter. So, one of the ways he has adjusted has been that short midrange jumper.
Pritchard was crucial for the Celtics on the second night of a back-to-back. The C’s were down two starters in Neemias Queta and Derrick White , so there was going to be more responsibility on Pritchard. He delivered. The Celtics also got other big contributions for the victory like Jaylen Brown ’s triple-double and Jordan Walsh ’s first career double-double.
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“Probably offensive rebounding and shot-making,” Atkinson said of where the Celtics beat them. “When they did miss, they were getting offensive rebounds. I think they had 15 for the game. I loved our fight coming back. I loved how we shared the ball. That comeback. You’re down 21, it could’ve went the other way. Seen that. So I liked our competitive spirit.”
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