BOSTON — Joe Mazzulla did not show much concern about Payton Pritchard’s shooting slump in his new starting role to begin the year. On Sunday, it was easy to understand why.
The point guard erupted for 30 points, including 8-of-13 shooting from 3-point range, helping the Celtics beat the Clippers 121-118 at TD Garden for their second straight win. Pritchard is now shooting 13-of-23 from 3-point range in his last two games, which has helped raise his 3-point shooting percentage from 25 percent to 32 percent on the year in just two games.
After the win, Pritchard revealed some perspective on how he’s managed to snap out of the early season funk from beyond the arc.
“I feel like I consider myself a good shooter, and you’re always searching how to be better at shooting,” Pritchard said. “Sometimes I can overcomplicate my form and trying to overcorrect everything and I got in the habit of doing that the first 10 games of overthinking every step how I want my form to look.
“The last two games I’ve kind of just said, ‘F it, I’m going to just shoot it.’ One motion I’m going to just let it fly and don’t worry about the form, all the work should carry it. So that’s kind of been my mindset and I should continue with that.”
The Celtics have played two of their most efficient offensive games of the season with Pritchard rounding back into form. The impact was apparent already when hearing Clippers coach Ty Lue talk about what the 27-year-old guard did against his team’s defense.
“Coming into the game we talked about taking Pritchard’s 3-point shots out of the game and for him to make eight and get 13 up, we just can’t allow that,” Lue said. “So he got them off to a good start offensively and it was hard for us to battle back. But guys like that, you just can’t let them get going because he makes shots all night, and he was able to do that and that was kind of what hurt our defense a lot.”
The other aspects of Pritchard’s game have been stellar to begin the year, including a 3.9-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio. Some added consistency with his shooting could help Boston’s offense reach new heights. The Celtics are up to eighth in the NBA in offensive efficiency through 14 games despite Pritchard’s shooting woes. All things considered, the Celtics have to be pleased with how Pritchard has responded to his expanded role despite an uneven start.
“I think that’s just part of who he is,” Mazzulla said. “He’s very hard on himself and wants to be great all the time, and it’s a compliment to who he is. And that’s why I trust him completely - if he has a bad game, a bad quarter, even if it’s a bad five games, it doesn’t matter. He’s always going to come back to who he is because of his work ethic, and that’s it. So the last two games, I think he’s playing the same way. The game’s coming to him a little bit easier, he’s competing on the defensive end, but you can always count on him.”
Pritchard will try to keep his newfound momentum going on Tuesday night against the Nets.
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