Payton Pritchard reveals what fueled his season-high scoring outburst vs. Cavs

The odds were stacked against the Boston Celtics on Sunday. They didn't arrive in Cleveland until about 2 a.m. That was because their flight from Minnesota, where they had just completed the first half of this back-to-back, got delayed. Furthermore, they were without two starters. However, as they've done all season, they refused to give in.

Starting center Neemias Queta was out due to left ankle sprain injury management. Derrick White was inactive because of a right calf contusion. The Cavaliers were coming in fresh after a day off. None of it stood in Boston's way.

One of the primary reasons was the play of Payton Pritchard. The reigning Sixth Man of the Year was a needed source of energy and scoring from the opening tip.

He was the only player on either side to reach double figures in the first frame. Pritchard put 10 points on the board, knocking down 4/5 shots. Cleveland never figured out how to slow him down.

The former Oregon Duck entered halftime with 18 points, continuing to pace all participants. He had made 7/8 field goals, including 4/5 three-point attempts. His offensive outburst set the stage for one of the most impressive performances of his career.

The sixth-year guard continued to shoulder the scoring load when his team needed him most. In the final frame, no one else on the visitors registered more than four points. The Celtics, unfazed, continued to put their trust in Pritchard.

He responded with 15 points on 4/5 shooting. Pritchard also went 6/6 at the free-throw line. Twelve of those points came in the final five minutes; eight occurred in the last three.

Payton Pritchard's mindset in his season-high scoring outburst

The Celtics needed every basket the six-foot-one guard delivered to combat the Cavs. It wasn't just his heroics in the final frame.

When the final buzzer blew, and the visitors had survived, escaping with a 117-115 win, Pritchard had put 42 points on the board. That doesn't just represent a season-high; it's also the second most he has scored in his career. It's the second time he has registered at least 40 in his six years in the Association.

After the game, he explained the mindset that drove one of the best performances of his career.

"Disappointed off of how I played last night in Minnesota," Pritchard told NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin post-game. "So I wanted to come out here and give it everything I've got tonight and try to pull out this win."

What he's referencing is his nine points on 14 shots performance in Saturday's 119-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. While he also had five rebounds and four assists, his disappointment with himself fueled him in Sunday's victory.

That mindset, his outlook on Saturday's performance, and his ability to bounce back with such consistent energy and production capture what makes Pritchard special. It's why he was able to play a starring role in one of the Celtics' most impressive wins this season.