Payton Pritchard, Derrick White First Celtics to score 40 points in the same game

Boston – After enjoying a water bath for his teammates at the Garden Court TD on Wednesday night, Payton Pritchard heard an MVP song while walking through the Celtics tunnel.

Pritchard had won the cheers with 43 points in his career, but acknowledged that he did not make history alone. Then, before turning right to go to the Boston wardrobe, he stopped briefly to hug his teammate Derrick White. With the headphones put, White was still fulfilling part of his media duties with the radio transmission of the Celtics. That did not prevent Pritchard from congratulating the other star of the night.

“Good job,” said Pritchard. “Aro way”.

Consider that the underestimation of the night. The Celtics have had Bob Cousy and Bill Russell. Sam Jones and Tommy Heinsohn. John Havicek and Dave Cowens. Larry Bird and Kevin Mchale. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Dozens of the members of the Hall of Fame have walked by Boston, but Pritchard and White became the first teammates of the Celtics to score 40 points in the same game on Wednesday night while taking their team beyond the Trail Blazers 128-118.

“It’s amazing,” said White, whose 41 points were a maximum race. “Only the talent we have in the history of this franchise.”

The first duo of the Celtics to release more than 40 years each pic.twitter.com/a8uwxDP9Cg

– Boston Celtics (@cetics) March 6, 2025

History does not always come with a warning. With the Celtics missing three headlines in Tatum, Kristaps Porziņģis and Jrue Holiday, the probabilities of such an outburst were longer than Luke Kornet’s arms, especially against the Blazers of the path, who entered the fifth rank defense since the beginning of January. Boston, who scored only 10 points in the first six minutes of the first quarter, initially showed few signs of the next onslaught.

Then, Pritchard, who registered halfway through the room, gave a screen and found some space. Splash. Twenty seconds later, he caught an exit pass from Al Horford, hurried the ball along the court and created enough space for a bold attempt of 3 points. He snuggled through the network, giving Pritchard 6 points on his first 1:21 on the court. Three minutes later, he drained his most difficult at night attempt: a Fadeaway out of balance from the corner with the Scoot Henderson defender close enough to smell his deodorant.

Pritchard finished the first quarter with 12 points, all in triples. White did not immediately warm up as his teammate, but said his shot felt good in two first entrances and exits. The basket opened from there. Pritchard finished 14 of 20 from the field, including 10 of 16 in triples. White was 14 of 26 from the field, including 9 of 17 in triples.

“We were talking about that,” said White, “and it was a little crazy. As, we weren’t even hitting the edge, just swishs. You shut up and I felt that I was getting many really good looks, so the offensive credit that we were running and the boys already to meet.”

Even only getting 3 points attempts against Portland tells how a feat. Despite several key absences for Celtics, the confrontation promised to provide a clash that basketball nerds could appreciate. Boston, in rhythm to establish a NBA record for most attempts 3 points, go the long ball every time. Portland, who changed his season partly through a commitment to limit attempts at 3 points of the opponents, is sold to remove the favorite photo of the Celtics.

The Trail Blazers could not remove it from Pritchard or White, who became the first teammates in the history of the NBA for each blow at least nine triples on the same night. Pritchard, who made 10 triples, all in the first three quarters, ended a less than the record of the Celtics of Marcus Smart. Instead of chasing the record, Pritchard only tried a triple in the last quarter.

“I didn’t even know I was 10 3 at this time,” said Pritchard. “But I would not have shot for that reason because it establishes a new standard. So I have something that eventually go and I hope you break it someday. But the most important thing was only to get the W. and they made a little push, so I was not going to force a look that was not there. I feel that is disrespectful for the game, disrespectful with my teammates. “

After leading for 25 points, the Celtics allowed Portland to get within 124-116 with 2:35 remaining. The weak Boston finish produced a closer final score, but also allowed Pritchard and White to add to their impressive statistics lines. A Pull-Up bridge from the right-based baseline with the remaining 2:11 briefly allowed White to coincide with Pritchard in 41 points, but Pritchard sank two free throws in recent seconds to move to his teammate. Together, they achieved something that even Tatum and Brown have never had. During a victory against the Cavaliers last week, Tatum and Brown combined for 83 points, the maximum they had scored together in the same game. White and Pritchard combined for 84 points.

“I’m super happy for Payton,” White said. “I could probably have taken more shots. I took six more than him. It was amazing. Someone who works so hard and simply plays in the right way. Therefore, it is great to have that night along with him, and only the two only try to play in the right way and do whatever is necessary to win. “

Pritchard had another unforgettable performance against Portland, his hometown team, in December 2021. In the midst of a difficult stretch of his career, Pritchard created a lasting memory when he scored 16 points in the last 4:09 of a victory in the explosion. He took over enough to leave a trace of chaos in his path.

Teammate Josh Richardson jumped to the court after one of Pritchard’s four triples that night. The Celtics made a technical foul to celebrate Pritchard’s long distance burst too vigorously. IME UDOKA, Boston’s coach at that time, apologized to Chaunley Billups because the Celtics continued to feed Pritchard to have shots in recent seconds of an unequal game. Although Umoka believed that the mischief crossed a line, Pritchard did not agree. He offered a great description of the way he and his team acted during the last minutes of that victory.

“We were freely,” Pritchard said at that time. “But we were just playing the ball and hitting the shots.”

From time to time, the game becomes so easy. In a list loaded with the Celtics, Pritchard does not always have the opportunity to “free-box it”, since he wrote it at that time, but with three headlines he was Wednesday, he hit the team of his hometown with another external shooting show. This time, the sixth candidate of the Man of the Year award did not do so in garbage time. And he had a blank partner.

“I have not been part of a game like that,” said Billups. “I have seen some really hot boys and caught fire, but two guys like that, I have not seen it.”

Pritchard, who left the bank in the first half, joined the initial alignment after part time. He drained five triples while scoring 19 points in the third quarter. White said he started laughing at the hot streak near the end of that quarter, “when Payton really was going crazy.” Then White took the baton of his teammate to score 12 points in the room. He hit the shooting clock from the logo for his last triple with eight remaining minutes.

Of the logo pic.twitter.com/axgjyimxgy

– Boston Celtics (@cetics) March 6, 2025

Horford shook his head at the exploits of his teammates.

“I think Payton hit one in the third at one point,” said Horford, “and I looked at him. I’m like, ‘man …’ and I was so locked up. It’s great to see him when he gets in that way. He’s so concentrated and it’s just a competitor. And then, when Derrick hit the almost medium court, I was about to enter and killed me right there. Very excited by those guys and do that.”

Pritchard and White could average more points in a bad team. In Boston, they usually sacrifice touches and fired attempts to help the team win games and compete for championships. Even with the Celtics so short on Wednesday, Pritchard said his usual mentality did not change.

“Not necessarily,” said Pritchard. “Maybe I know that I’m going to play a little more, but I entered the game just trying to make the right readings. Because tonight it could have been Sam Hauser’s night and hits 10 to 15 3. D-White does what he does. JB could have 50. So I don’t enter any night thinking: ‘Oh, it’s my night’. It’s just that you read the game and the ball ended up finding me. Next game, the ball could not find me. But how am I going to affect the game? “

Together, the rear track duo took advantage of the additional opportunities that would probably have gone else if the Celtics were completely healthy. As fun as White had on Wednesday night, he said that he and Pritchard “know what the biggest image is and we know what we are working for and what we are working for.” In other words, they will not always have the opportunity to leave for 40 points each.

They made history in the Celtics when they arrived at that brand on Wednesday. After White entered the locker room, his teammates poured water on him, as they had done to Pritchard moments before. Two water baths in the same game, devils, that could have been another record.

“It is a regular season game, but it is a game in which Portland has been playing very well basketball and was not a type of burst or anything like that,” said Horford. “We fight for this game. Obviously we were without meminating and trying to find a way, and for them (achieving) that type of feat, for me, is incredible. It really is. And the way they did is even more impressive. ”

(Poyton Pritchard Photo: Winslow Townson / Imagn images)