Pritchard scores career-high 43, knocks down 10 3s to lead Celtics over Blazers 128-118 – Boston News, Weather, Sports

8 Views

BOSTON (AP) — Payton Pritchard scored a career-high 43 factors and knocked down a career-best 10 3-pointers to guide the short-handed Boston Celtics previous the Portland Path Blazers 128-118 on Wednesday night time.

Derrick White added profession highs with 41 factors and 9 3s to guide Boston to its eighth victory in 10 video games, making Pritchard and White the primary Celtic duo to attain 40 or extra factors in the identical recreation and the primary duo in NBA historical past with 9 or extra 3-pointers every in a recreation.

With starters Jayson Tatum (shoulder), Jrue Vacation (finger) and Kristaps Porzingis (sickness) all sitting out, Pritchard picked up the scoring load for a Celtics group that made 23 3-pointers.

The sport remained tight all through the primary half, that includes 5 ties and 15 lead modifications. However Boston outscored the Blazers 36-27 within the third quarter.

Anfernee Simons led Portland with 30 factors and Shaedon Sharpe added 25.

It was the sixth recreation of a seven-game highway journey for the Blazers, who had received 4 of their earlier 5.

Takeaways

Path Blazers: Boston made some modifications in its defensive protection that stored Portland from attending to the rim for many of the night time. It compelled the Blazers to shoot extra jumpers and so they couldn’t match the Celtics’ output from 3-point vary.

Celtics: One other strong win by which a reserve stepped up and made a major affect. Having that depth provides to Boston’s possibilities of repeating as NBA champions.

Key second

After the Blazers reduce what had been a 25-point deficit to 124-116 with 2:35 to play, Boston got here up with back-to-back stops and made sufficient free throws down the stretch to protect the win.