The Milwaukee Bucks are now 1-3 to start the 2024-25 NBA campaign following a 119-108 loss against the Boston Celtics on Monday night, and head coach Doc Rivers pointed to Payton Pritchard as the game’s difference maker.
“Payton Pritchard happened… this morning, I literally circled his name. It’s like, this guy comes in and he’s a game changer… He got their three-ball going… I thought that changed the game,” Rivers said about Pritchard via Justin Turpin on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“He’s just tough. Little tough dude. He’s that little pest that gets under everyone’s skin. He’s gritty and smart, but he’s talented… He knows how to play basketball. He’s perfect for that team,” he added.
Payton Pritchard came off the bench and dropped 28 points, five rebounds, three assists, and two steals. The one-time NBA champion also went 10-for-14 from the field and knocked down eight three-point shots, tying the Boston Celtics’ franchise record for having the most threes off the bench in a single match.
Milwaukee Bucks faltered down the stretch against the Boston Celtics
The game between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics was close until late in the third quarter when Payton Pritchard hit a three-point shot with 0.4 seconds left to put Boston ahead by eight points entering the final period.
Boston then scored the next seven points for a 15-point lead, and they never looked back from there.
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo came to play for the Milwaukee Bucks, combining for 63 points, while Brook Lopez and Gary Trent Jr. added 13 and 10 points, respectively. However, their bench production left a lot to be desired since they only had 19 points.