Payton Pritchard Talks Growing his Game Alongside 'My Brother ...

Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser were both all-important members of the Boston Celtics’ bench unit a season ago. Outside of the starting five, they were the leading scorers on the roster during the regular season with averages of 9.6 points and 9.0 points per game, respectively.

And Boston will likely need the pair to carry the scoring load for the reserves in the upcoming 2024-25 campaign as well.

Reporters spoke to Pritchard after the Celtics’ practice session on Thursday, and he revealed exactly why he enjoys playing with Hauser.

“I mean, that’s like my brother, so I just — we do things, like we’re different in our skill sets a little bit,” Pritchard said. “Obviously we’re like great shooters — I think Sam is one of the best if not the best shooter, up there with the best in the league. I put it on the ground a little bit more, so we like — our skill sets kinda match, you know? He’s movin’ without the ball a lot more. Especially when we’re playin’ together, I can find him. I’ll get into the paint and then — I don’t know, we’re always just expanding our games together.”

The duo looked to be in regular-season form in Boston’s second preseason contest against the Denver Nuggets — the 2023 NBA champions — in Abu Dhabi. They combined for 29 points and five made 3-pointers off the pine in a game the Celtics won in a landslide.

The next game on the Celtics’ preseason schedule will be against the Philadelphia 76ers — who added Paul George in free agency — on Saturday night. After that contest, Boston will wrap up its five-game preseason stint with a pair of bouts against the Toronto Raptors on Oct. 13 and Oct. 15.