Payton Pritchard is quickly becoming the guy the Boston Celtics want to have the ball in his hands for the final shot.
The fourth-year rotational player from Oregon is in the midst of what has been a career year for him, and though he’s only averaging a little over 20 minutes per game for the Celtics in the postseason, he’s certainly making his mark on the highlight reel.
Pritchard hit a dazzling half-court buzzer-beater shot at the end of the third quarter of Game 2 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks, and in a potentially decisive Game 5, he did it again as the clock expired in the first half.
"Here's Pritchard he loves these… puts it up from halfcourt at the buzzer… BANG… HE'S DONE IT AGAIN!" https://t.co/dWXM1HVj4D pic.twitter.com/EtcSju6Gn0
— NBA (@NBA) June 18, 2024
According to ESPN’s Malika Andrews on the broadcast, it was the longest shot in the NBA Finals in the last 25 years.
That long three gave Boston a commanding 21-point lead at halftime as it looks to close out its first NBA championship since 2008. The Mavericks won Game 4 on Friday night to avoid a sweep, but now the Celtics have a chance to end the series in front of their home crowd.
