BOS 112, SAC 93: Payton Pritchard Absolutely Cooks for 56 ESPN FP
Tommy Flanagan
Journeyman Electrician ยท Boston Celtics fan
Pritchard Goes Supernova, Celtics Cruise Past Kings Without Breaking a Sweat
Okay, so this happened. Payton Pritchard absolutely lost his mind last night and dropped 41 Yahoo fantasy points on Sacramento. The Celtics won 112-93, which means I'm in a good mood despite the fact that half the roster didn't even play. Let me break down what actually matters here.
| Player | ESPN FP | Yahoo FP | Tonight | Season Avg | +/- Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payton Pritchard | 56.0 | 41.4 | 29/2/8 | 17.0/4.3/5.3 | +12.0 |
| Neemias Queta | 34.0 | 40.0 | 10/15/2 | 10.0/8.1/1.4 | +0.0 |
| Maxime Raynaud | 36.0 | 33.3 | 14/14/1 | 9.5/6.5/1.0 | +4.5 |
| Derrick White | 39.0 | 31.9 | 7/2/9 | 17.2/4.6/5.4 | -10.2 |
| Luka Garza | 32.0 | 28.1 | 11/8/1 | 7.8/4.4/1.1 | +3.2 |
| Baylor Scheierman | 33.0 | 26.5 | 16/5/1 | 3.3/2.1/0.8 | +12.7 |
| Dylan Cardwell | 26.0 | 25.1 | 8/8/1 | 4.7/7.1/1.1 | +3.3 |
| Zach LaVine | 22.0 | 22.3 | 17/4/1 | 19.3/2.8/2.3 | -2.3 |
| Anfernee Simons | 18.0 | 19.9 | 16/2/1 | 13.9/2.4/2.4 | +2.1 |
| Malik Monk | 13.0 | 19.6 | 12/3/4 | 12.5/2.0/2.6 | -0.5 |
Pritchard is for Real Right Now
Look, I don't want to overreact here, but Payton Pritchard just put up a 56-point ESPN line. That's the kind of performance that makes waiver wire moves look stupid in retrospect. He hit 12-of-16 from the field, went 5-for-5 from three, and ran the offense with 8 assists. That's not a fluke box score, that's a dude playing out of his mind.
The thing is, he's averaging 17.0 points and 5.3 assists for the season. Tonight he just overclocked everything by +12 points. Is this repeatable? Probably not exactly, but the role is clearly there. He's getting 32 minutes and running point guard in a system where he can score. If you own Pritchard, you're riding this wave. If you don't own him in leagues with decent rosters, we need to talk about why.
The Celtics Won Ugly, and That's Okay
This wasn't a beautiful performance. We were missing Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum didn't log any minutes, so the bench guys had to carry the load. That's why you're seeing names like Luka Garza (28 Yahoo FP), Baylor Scheierman (26.5 Yahoo FP), and Anfernee Simons (19.9 Yahoo FP) filling the box score.
Here's what matters: Neemias Queta went off for 40 Yahoo points with 15 boards and 2 assists. That's a +6.9 rebound night above his average. He's a deep league add if you need center help and your waiver wire is bare. The minutes are there when the main guys sit.
Derrick White was a disappointment at 31.9 Yahoo FP. He only put up 7 points on 3-of-7 shooting, which is 10.2 points below his season average. The assists (9) and steals (1) kept him afloat, but this was a rare clunker from a guy who's been solid all year. Don't panic. He's an All-Defensive guy who just had a weird night.
Sacramento Got Cooked, But There's No Panic Button Yet
Maxime Raynaud was actually decent for Sacramento, dropping 33.3 Yahoo points with 14 rebounds and pristine 6-of-7 shooting. The issue is he's a role player on a team that got blown out by 19. That's not a recipe for consistent fantasy value.
Dylan Cardwell (25.1 Yahoo FP) also played fine with 8 boards and some defense, but again, context matters. Sacramento shot terribly as a team, and the Celtics' defense was suffocating. This isn't the game that tells you anything about whether these guys are hold-or-drop decisions.
Zach LaVine disappointed on a 17-point, 22.3 Yahoo FP line. He's averaging 19.3, so he was slightly down but honestly that's not terrible given how ugly the game was. The concern is less about this game and more about whether Sacramento has the pieces to compete long-term. If they don't, LaVine's numbers could get uglier down the stretch.
The Bottom Line
Payton Pritchard is the real story here. He went off and proved the role is legit. If he's available on waivers in your league, add him immediately. The Celtics are clearly comfortable running him heavy when injuries happen, and that's valuable.
Everyone else? Context is key. This was a blowout where the Celtics cruised with half their roster out. The bench guys got opportunities they normally wouldn't get. That's great for the guys who produced (Garza, Scheierman, Queta), but don't assume it repeats when the real roster comes back.
As a Celtics fan, I'm obviously happy we're dominating even without Jaylen and Tatum. But fantasy-wise, you want to see the full roster playing. Enjoy the depth league scoring, but don't get too attached to these role guys stepping up.