Payton Pritchard Explains Buzzer-Beating Dagger in Game 3: 'I Like Grenades'

The Boston Celtics guard caught the ball with two seconds left, but he knew exactly which moves he could make to still get a shot off in time

Apr 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) reacts after a three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second half at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Philadelphia 76ers were playing some of their best defense of the night. Down just two to the Boston Celtics with 95 second left in the game, they got Jayson Tatum to pass out of drive, Nikola Vucevic to swing to Jaylen Brown because he didn’t have an opening to shoot, and Brown to not even try a drive on Paul George. When the ball got back to Tatum, VJ Edgecombe was locked in a defense stance at the Xfinity Mobile Arena logo with seven seconds to go on the clock. 

This was going to have to be all Tatum. 

A dribble right … six seconds
Stop, crossover left … five seconds
Whoa, almost lost the dribble … four seconds
Pick up the dribble, now with Edgecombe right in his face … three seconds.
Pass to Payton Pritchard … two seconds 

Wait, WHAT? 

“I looked around, I said, ‘Dang, JT, you threw me a grenade,’” Pritchard explained before heading to the team’s Saturday practice. “I like grenades though. So I live for those moments.”

Pritchard had no choice but to get free for the shot. But he was well aware of what the situation was. 

“I think it’s an ability to almost check the clock within a small window of right when I get the ball,” Pritchard said. “When JT was dribbling, I could tell that there was three seconds left, so when he swung it, I knew, like, it’s almost like a clock in my mind of like how much time, if I had one to two dribbles, or something like that. So in that instance, I knew I only had about one dribble, pump fake, side-step.”

The pump fake got the Sixers to make their first defensive mistake on the possession. Kelly Oubre Jr., probably sensing Pritchard’s need to shoot, bit just hard enough that the sidestep got Pritchard clear. Pritchard knew he needed to shoot, but he knew he had time for a move. Not only has he been in these situations before, he prepares for them in the offseason. 

“I’ve been playing this game for so long, I know how quick my moves are,” he said. “When I play one-on-ones in the summer, sometimes it’s dribble limits, but sometimes it’s like a clock on it, so three seconds, two seconds, five seconds. So then I know how much time it takes to get to certain spots.”

When the ball splashed through, putting the Celtics up five, Pritchard turned and yelled something to the crowd, the Sixers, and anyone in the general vicinity. My amateur lip reading suggests it was something that cannot be repeated in this space. 

Payton, maybe you can explain that part too?

“I don't even know what I said, to be honest with you, I don't even remember. I probably blacked out in the moment,” he said with a wry smile. 

Uh huh. That's okay, there's no need. Some things are better left unsaid. Besides, I’m pretty sure everyone in Philly got the message loud and clear.