Payton Pritchard is the Celtics ‘Name to Know’ Player of the Game in Wednesday’s win over Grizzlies

BOSTON — The Celtics made sure they didn’t have any letdown, blowing out the Grizzlies 131-95 on Wednesday at TD Garden. They lost a close one to the 76ers last time out, but they didn’t let the second game of a back-to-back slow them down.

Payton Pritchard made his impact felt all night as the team’s leading scorer, making him Wednesday’s “Name to Know” Player of the Game. The Name to Know Player of the Game is sponsored by John’s Sewer and Drain Cleaning, the Name to Know when your drains don’t flow.

Pritchard finished with 24 points, six rebounds and nine assists, shooting 8-for-15 from the field. Pritchard was also at a plus-42 in his 30 minutes. He made 5-for-9 of his 3-pointers as he’s slowly climbed out of his shooting slump. Pritchard struggled against the Sixers, but he was back to his effective self Wednesday.

It’s been a slow burn as Pritchard is starting every game for the first time in his career. But he came into Wednesday’s game shooting just 25.6% on 3-pointers. While Pritchard points out his looks aren’t any different compared to past years, that’s part of playing in the league where slumps happen to everyone.

But Pritchard has contributed for the Celtics in other ways. His midrange jumper has been on for most of the season. Much like he’s also shown in past seasons, his rebounding and defensive tenacity gives him an edge. The Celtics are also relying on him consistently to generate offense when he’s on the court.

The Celtics have floated around the .500 mark for much of the season. They improved to 6-7 following the Grizzlies victory. The C’s have avoided blowout losses for the most part, though their clutch-game performances have been lacking. The C’s now enter a lean part of their schedule where they only have six games in 16 days.

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