Celtics Vs Lakers — Pritchard’s 30 lifts Boston to 111-89 win in Los Angeles
In a charged Sunday afternoon matchup, the celtics vs lakers rivalry produced a decisive Boston victory: Payton Pritchard scored 30 points and the Celtics beat the Lakers 111-89 at Crypto. com Arena.
Photo: Luiza Moraes / Getty Images
Celtics Vs Lakers at Crypto. com Arena
The crowd at Crypto. com Arena watched a Pat Riley statue dedication ceremony before tipoff, and Riley — described as a longtime Celtics nemesis — told the Lakers to ‘‘kick some Boston [expletive]’’ in an address that played to supporters and Lakers greats. The ceremony and the theater lights did not alter the on-court result: the Celtics suffocated the Lakers defensively for the final three quarters and relied on Pritchard and Jaylen Brown for the runaway win.
Pritchard’s run and a buzzer-beater that swung the game
Pritchard’s halftime celebration followed a game-changing finish to the first half. After Boston had led by 5, the Celtics outscored L. A. 8-3 over the final minute of the second quarter to move the score to 60-50. Pritchard had a hand in each of Boston’s three baskets during that run: he attacked Austin Reaves in transition to create a three-for-two opportunity, he found Derrick White for a 3 after Jaylen Brown stopped a Luka Dončić drive, and he created separation from Dončić with a step-back long 3 at the buzzer to extend the lead.
Pritchard’s role: sixth man and steady shot-maker
Back as the full-time sixth man and the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, Pritchard surpassed 20 points for the sixth time in his last seven outings. He has come off the bench in each of those games after starting for the rest of the season, and he says the switch does not bother him. Pritchard said the move made sense given the roster construction after the trade of Anfernee Simons, that the bench needed another ballhandler and playmaker, and that using him as the sixth man helped balance the rotation. At the time of the move he said, "At the end of the day, it’s about, do you play starter minutes, do you finish games?" and added, "So it’s just about, when you get in, what do you do with your minutes?"
Key moments and confrontations
Pritchard was demonstrative throughout. He backpedaled and then drilled the long buzzer-beater to end the second quarter, shouted at the Crypto. com Arena crowd at halftime, and midway through the fourth he drained a stepback 3 over Austin Reaves then turned toward Reggie Miller — the NBC analyst and Hall of Famer who was announcing the game for Peacock — and shouted at him; he did not reveal what he said. In the first half he appeared to give a small shove to Jarred Vanderbilt before hitting a triple in front of the Celtics’ bench.
Three minutes into the fourth, Pritchard switched directions three times with his dribble, put his shoulder into Jake LaRavia’s chest, spun and hit a 15-foot fadeaway. With five minutes left, he caught a pass near the rim, unclear in the provided context.
Coach reactions and what’s next
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised the recognition and execution on the first-half stretch: "I thought it was really good recognition by Payton, Derrick and JB, " he said. When told about Riley’s pregame exhortation, Mazzulla grinned and said, "He said that? Man, I wish I would have heard that. That’s fun. That’s awesome. Damn. " Mazzulla also warned the team must translate this performance into the next game: "We have to find a way to do it at Phoenix, " he said, adding that if the edge is only extrinsic it will be hard to keep for subsequent games. He used a new phrase, calling the early period "a brother-in-law game, " meaning both teams began politely before Boston intensified the contest.
The Celtics had dismantled the Warriors three nights earlier, though Stephen Curry did not play in that game. The Lakers arrived fully healthy, with LeBron James and Luka Dončić among those reportedly motivated by the Riley celebration; Riley is 80 years old and is now the president of the Heat. Despite the motivation, the Lakers could not overcome Boston’s defense and Pritchard’s scoring burst — including a stepback that produced a 22-point lead with 3: 22 left — and the Celtics closed out the 111-89 victory. He turned around and started unclear in the provided context.
Boston’s next confirmed game is on Tuesday at Mortgage Matchup Center against Phoenix; the Suns will be without Devin Booker for that matchup.
