Celtics' steadfast confidence in Payton Pritchard should be music to fans' ears

Payton Pritchard was the best player on the floor in the Boston Celtics' 111-89 victory vs. the Los Angeles Lakers. In Sunday's iconic rivalry clash, featuring LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and Jaylen Brown, it was the six-foot-one guard whose play shone the brightest.

Pritchard finished with 30 points off the bench, single-handedly outscoring Los Angeles's second unit, which registered 25. His efficient display of three-level scoring saw him knockdown 10/14 shots, including 6/9 three-point attempts.

No matter who the Lakers put on him, Pritchard eviscerated that defender with his ability to attack off the dribble. As he did so, he would strut down the court after making a three, bark at Boston's bench when he scored in front of his teammates, and even chirp at Reggie Miller, who sat courtside to call the contest.

"I think it's just the rivalry," said Pritchard, who always plays with a fiery edge, but dialed it up on Sunday, when meeting with reporters in the locker room post-game. "Felt like I'm back in my, like, college days when I was playing Washington or Arizona or something, just rivalry will bring out of you."

What the Celtics have seen from Payton Pritchard

As for what the Celtics are noticing from the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, who hasn't missed a beat since returning to a role off the bench, Jaylen Brown shared the following assessment.

"He's caught fire [in] the second part of the season," voiced the five-time All-Star after Boston's victory in Los Angeles. "I think he's really figured it out. So, we continue to roll with that; trust that; let him run things, because his level of play has raised. I think he's really kind of figured it out, how to get to his spots, and, you know, shooting the ball well, and he's seeing the game well. So Payton has been playing at an All-Star level, and I'm happy to see it. Nobody [is] happier to see it than me. So, like, we find ways throughout the game that trust him and allow him to run the show."

Brown and Pritchard are kindred spirits who share the same competitive fire. So when the former sees the latter comporting himself as he did at the artist formerly known as Staples Center, and getting the best of anyone the Lakers threw at him, what to do was obvious.

"Me and Payton share the same mentality," expressed Brown. "When I see him, and he's got that, you just get the hell out [of] the way."

As for what Pritchard's head coach has seen from him, for Joe Mazzulla, the sixth-year guard's confidence stems from his work ethic and a burning desire to elevate his game.

"I think his confidence comes from his work ethic. I think it also comes from his humility to be like, 'This is who I am; this is what I have to do to get to where I want to get to," voiced Mazzulla from the post-game podium.

"And so when you have that humility, have that confidence, and you have the work ethic piece, he takes pride in working, working, and working, and even taking coaching, like, tonight, at the end of the game, he took a shot with like 42 seconds left, but he came up, and he's like, 'I gotta get those other guys involved.' And so he's just constantly wanting to learn, constantly wanting to get better, knows who he is and works on it."