Pritchard ranks among the best final “sh**ters” in the NBA

BOSTON – Momentum had started to shift in Dallas’ direction toward the end of the third quarter of Game 2 Sunday night, as they went on an 11-5 run against the Celtics to cut what had been a 12-point deficit in half.

So Boston unleashed its end-of-quarter momentum killer.

With 3.3 seconds remaining in the frame, Payton Pritchard checked himself into the game. It was barely enough time to go full-court for a bucket, but “barely enough time” is Pritchard’s time to shine.

The fourth-year point guard caught the inbound pass from Jayson Tatum, sprinted past center court, and banked in a 34-foot heave, sending TD Garden into a frenzy. Not only did it give Boston an 83-74 lead, but it breathed life back into the arena after the Mavericks had been rolling, and that energy carried into the fourth quarter where the C’s maintained control for a 105-98 win.

When Joe Mazzulla began his postgame speech back in the locker room, Pritchard’s shot was the first item he pointed out.

“Everyone made great plays, but maybe the play, more than anything else, was that shot right there,” the head coach said with his team gathered around him in a semicircle, pointing straight ahead to Pritchard. “The humility and the toughness to go in and take that shot with three seconds, that’s the difference between winning and losing. So thank you for taking that shot.”

It was also the first topic Mazzulla touched upon in his postgame interview with the media, even though the opening question had nothing to do with Pritchard’s play.

“I think the play of the game can’t go unnoticed, the humility of our team, is Payton’s shot at the end of the quarter,” he said. “You see guys around the league pass up on that shot or fake like they want to take it so that their numbers don’t get messed up. He takes pride in taking that, and that’s winning basketball.”

Pritchard has taken pride in that shot all season long. He has made 15 shots this season within the final three seconds of a quarter at a 35.7 percent clip, which is great efficiency for such a low-percentage scoring possession.

The only players who have made more are Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox (28), Jayson Tatum (17), and Trae Young (16) – each of whom are All-Stars and averaged at least 35 minutes per game this season. Pritchard, on the other hand, is a reserve who averages just over 20 minutes per game.

He has become an end-of-quarter shot specialist – a role that many players shy away from since it’s bound to bring down their shooting numbers, but a role that Pritchard has come to embrace.

“It’s a basketball play,” Pritchard said after making a similar shot at the end of the third quarter in Game 1 of the second round against Cleveland. “We should take those shots, even if it’s full-court. Like, what if that goes in? That’s another three points.”

At this point, it’s almost expected to go in when Pritchard takes one of those shots.

“That’s what Payton Pritchard does,” said Derrick White. “If you watch us late-clock, he doesn’t shy away from that moment. That was a big-time shot, kind of got us momentum. You just love Payton. You love competing with him. It was a big-time shot.”

A shot that was the biggest winning play in the biggest win of the season so far.