Payton Prichard has an incredible 3/4 highlight that is dismissed by the refs

The reserve guard was asked if he often practices such shots.

“No, never,” Pritchard said. “I feel like for a moment it's like you get it and I really believe I can do it. I feel like just believing in it and giving it a chance is probably half the battle. I've seen a few go in now and I'll take them every time. I feel like it just changes the momentum even when I press it, and after the buzzer the crowd comes in.”

Pritchard is no stranger to buzzer beater noises. In Game 5 against the Mavericks last summer, he hit the longest shot in an NBA Finals game since 1998. The 43-foot buzzer-beater sent the Celtics into the deciding game of the Finals at TD Garden with a 21-point halftime lead the changing room.

“It was beautiful,” Al Horford said of the Game 5 rally. “He did that, and when you look at the other team, you realize it's one of those guys that kind of throws you off bring. And then it kind of fired us up.”

Pritchard also jumped 34 feet with 3.1 seconds left in the second game of last year's finals. It was his only field goal of the night. Jaylen Brown said Pritchard put himself in the game just to make that shot.

Coach Joe Mazzulla thanked him for that after the game.

“The humility and the toughness to take the shot within three seconds make the difference between victory and defeat. Thank you for making that shot,” Mazzulla said.

“He has the humility and selflessness to not care if he misses,” Mazzulla added. “He practices it and has an understanding of how a shot like that can impact the end of a quarter and a team’s run.”

The outcome on Thursday wasn't in doubt when Pritchard hit the shot. The Celtics had a lead of 27 as the final seconds of the third quarter elapsed. They earned a 122-102 victory over the Wizards at Capital One Arena in Washington DC

Pritchard played a larger role in the victory as fellow sharpshooter Sam Hauser was sidelined with a back injury. He finished the game with 15 points on 5-for-11 shooting from long range.

The Celtics improved to 2-0 with the win and returned to action Saturday night on the road in Detroit.

Khari A. Thompson

Sports reporter

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Khari Thompson covers professional sports for Boston.com. Before joining the team in 2022, Khari covered college football for The Clarion Ledger in Jackson, Miss.

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