NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. MAVERICKS

June 13, 2024

Payton Pritchard

Boston Celtics

Practice Day

Q. Do you have a favorite Joe Mazzulla quote?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: I really don't listen to a lot of them. I don't really have a favorite quote. But I just think he says a lot of things that are -- like a lot of things that people don't usually say, but they have great meaning behind them, and they resonate with our team.

Q. What do you think you guys have done well against Luka?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: He's a great player. Just tried to make things tough, make him hit tough one-on-one buckets over and over again. That's kind of what we're living with.

Q. How much pride do you take in it when they try to switch one of those guys on to you and you're able to stay in front of him and prevent him in scoring?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: I just like to show the world that I'm a good defender and I can guard some of the best guys in the world, especially those two. They're the best. Just doing my job, staying in front, making things tough. I try to take pride in that.

Q. Everyone on the bench seemed to lose their mind when Tillman made that corner three. What is it like to see him be rewarded for it?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: It's tough when you're playing limited minutes and he hasn't played at times, so when you see a guy like that hit a three that's been -- he works his tail off. It's great to see. It's rewarding. He performed really well yesterday guarding, and then obviously I just thought that three was a big momentum shift.

Q. You've been in that spot where playing time is never promised. How hard is it to stay mentally engaged?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: It's the hardest thing in any sport, but especially basketball. Playing limited minutes, going back and forth, limited shots, it's not easy. It can be mentally really difficult.

The strongest people, they prevail, and they come up when they're needed most.

Q. Sam has been kind of crucial in this final series. What do you see his preparation has been like behind the scenes?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: He just gets his work in. He's been able to stay level-headed through the ups and downs, and it's been great to see. He's hit really big shots, and he hit three last night. But just his work. He works on his shot all the time. It's been good.

Q. How was last night's group chat?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: The job ain't finished. We ain't celebrating like we won a championship yet. We've still got one more to do. We weren't really talking about anything but getting it done.

Q. Last night in the same press conference Joe was called a sicko and a basketball genius. What resonates with you about that and where does he get it?

PAYTON PRITCHARD: He's really himself. He's like authentic to himself. We all appreciate that. Like he's not trying to be somebody he's not.

So I think that's kind of like the sicko side of it. He's different, but we respect that.

Then the basketball genius, you can learn a lot from him as to how he sees the offensive side of things, the play calling, the game management, all that. He's elite in that.

I've personally learned a lot from him, and I think our whole group has.