Joe Mazzulla and Payton Pritchard Address Second Unit's Scoring Drought vs. Sacramento Kings

Eric Santos | Apr 6, 2024

Apr 5, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla directs the team / Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports

On Friday, the Boston Celtics picked up a 101-100 win against the Sacramento Kings. The Kings nearly overcame a 14-point deficit, as the Celtics went 1-for-12 in field-goal attempts during the final five minutes of the match. 

During the fourth quarter, head coach Joe Mazzulla primarily relied on the Celtics’ bench. Their final-frame rotation included Jordan Walsh, Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman, Oshae Brissett, Svi Mykhailiuk, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard. 

As captured by NBC Sports Boston, Mazzulla spoke about his trust in the Celtics’ bench.

“All those guys have played a significant role in winning games the entire season,” Mazzulla said. “When guys have been injured they’ve stepped up. Everybody on that floor has started a game for us this year or have played significant minutes. It’s just a testament to them. Whoever was on the floor, I always feel like we have a chance to win.”

Per Inside The Celtics, Pritchard commented on Boston’s scoring drought during clutch time. 

"I think we got great looks; we just didn't hit em...And we were trying different things defensively, going 1-5 switching, which can be tough with a guy like (De’Aaron) Fox. But at the end of the day, we pulled out a W, and that's what matters most."

Boston's next game is scheduled for Sunday, Apr. 7, against the Portland Trail Blazers at TD Garden; tip-off is at 6:00 p.m. EST.

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