Inside The Celtics

Key Boston Celtics Scorer Lands on Injury Report Ahead of Big Matchup with Spurs

The Celtics will need all the scoring they can get against one of the NBA's best defenses, but they could be without one of their best shot-creators.
John Karalis|
Jan 23, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates his three point shot against Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) during the first overtime at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jan 23, 2026; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) celebrates his three point shot against Brooklyn Nets forward Ziaire Williams (1) during the first overtime at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The Celtics are taking on the San Antonio Spurs in a big test for them in this new phase of their season. Jayson Tatum has been back for two games and things have looked pretty good for the Celtics, but the Spurs represent a much different challenge. 

Attacking the third-best defense in the league, which features Victor Wembanyama making it nearly impossible to score inside, requires a lot of shooting and shot-creation. The Celtics could be missing one of their best at it, as Payton Pritchard is listed as questionable for the game with a neck spasm. 

Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, has shown a nice evolution to his game this season, taking a slight step away from three-pointers and moving more towards a high-level mid-range game. His ability to drive, stop, and spin into a fadeaway has turned him into one of the league’s deadliest shooters in the short mid-range. 

According to NBA tracking data, Pritchard is shooting 56.7% in the 8-16 foot range. Among players who have taken 150 or more shots from that range this season, only Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (57.9%) and Donovan Mitchell (57.4%) shoot better. Notable players who are prolific shooters in that range, but who are behind Pritchard, include Luka Doncic (54.2%), Kevin Durant (52.4%), Kawhi Leonard (52%), and Jalen Brunson (48.3%).

That's incredible company for Pritchard, who had that shot on full display against Mitchell’s Cavaliers on Sunday. 

It’s a difficult shot to block, and when he has it working, he can pile a few of them up when the offense hits a rough patch. Missing him against a tough defensive team like the Spurs would make things a little tougher, but one thing the Celtics have been good at is overcoming absences. 

Nikola Vucevic remains out for Boston after surgery to fix a fractured ring finger. Baylor Scheierman is continuing to play through a fracture in his left thumb. 

The Spurs will be without Harrison Barnes, who is out with a left ankle impingement. The Spurs have won eight straight games at home, and are looking to sweep the season series against the Celtics. Wembanyama led the Spurs to win in Boston behind a 13-4 run late in the fourth-quarter run. The Celtics held a late lead in that game and played Wembanyama well, attacking him with physicality, mostly from Scheierman. 

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John Karalis
JOHN KARALIS

John Karalis is a 20-year veteran of Celtics coverage and was nominated for NSMA's Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year in 2019. He has hosted the Locked On Celtics podcast since 2016 and has written two books about the Celtics. John was born and raised in Pawtucket, RI. He graduated from Shea High School in Pawtucket, where he played football, soccer, baseball, and basketball and was captain of the baseball and basketball teams. John graduated from Emerson College in Boston with a Bachelor of Science degree in Broadcast Journalism and was a member of their Gold Key Honor Society. He was a four-year starter and two-year captain of the Men’s Basketball team, and remains one of the school's top all-time scorers, and Emerson's all-time leading rebounder. He is also the first Emerson College player to play professional basketball (Greece). John started his career in television, producing and creating shows since 1997. He spent nine years at WBZ, launching two different news and lifestyle shows before ascending to Executive Producer and Managing Editor. He then went to New York, where he was a producer and reporter until 2018. John is one of Boston’s original Celtics bloggers, creating RedsArmy.com in 2006. In 2018, John joined the Celtics beat full-time for MassLive.com and then went to Boston Sports Journal in 2021, where he covered the Celtics for five years. He has hosted the Locked On Celtics podcast since 2016, and it currently ranks as the #1 Boston Celtics podcast on iTunes and Spotify rankings. He is also one of the co-hosts of the Locked on NBA podcast.

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