Celtics’ Payton Pritchard addresses slow start after 28-point night vs. Bulls

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Payton Pritchard has huge relief to have himself return to strong form after balling out in the Boston Celtics’ 134-99 blowout win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

Pritchard has been playing in the NBA since 2020, going through his seventh season with the Celtics. He made his way up the ranks to become one of the team’s most important players, winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2025.

However, he had a shaky start two games into the 2026-27 season. He began the campaign with 17 points and four rebounds in the opener against the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 20 before regressing to four points and four assists against the New York Knicks on Oct. 23.

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Pritchard delivered in a major way throughout Boston’s rout over Chicago. In 22 minutes of action off the bench, he produced 28 points, four assists, two steals, and one rebounds. He shot 10-of-16 from the field, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. The star guard reflected on his performance after the game, feeling positive to be back in rhythm for Boston again.

“It just feels good to catch a rhythm again and just bounce back from the other night,” Pritchard said, per reporter Bobby Krivitsky. “I’ve mentioned it, but I just have slow starts to the season, so catching a rhythm like this and being aggressive tonight was my mindset.”