Celtics Continue Three-Point Barrage, Improve To 3-0 In Summer League Action
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Celtics are really making it rain from downtown out in Las Vegas. The Summer Celtics continued their three-point barrage Thursday night, draining 19 triples in a 108-71 blowout win over the Orlando Magic. That's the most threes by any team to take the Summer League floor since 2017.
Payton Pritchard led the way for Boston, scoring 17 points to go with his nine assists and four rebounds. He also came up with three steals in the win.
The point guard was feeling it from downtown, hitting four of his six three-point attempts. The second-year guard was just toying with the Orlando defense on a handful of occasions.
And a few of Pritchard's threes came from way downtown, as he continues to earn a new nickname: "Logo Pritchard."
Pritchard was 6-for-9 overall from the floor, but after the win was most pleased with his ability to make plays happen for his teammates.
"What separates good point guards from becoming great is the ability to make people around you better," he said. "Get people easier shots and control the game."
Fellow 2020 pick Aaron Nesmith led the way for Boston with 18 points, hitting eight of his 15 shots. He cooled off a bit from beyond the arc, hitting just two of his seven attempts, but also chipped in with nine rebounds and four assists, finishing a game-high plus-33 in his 25 minutes on the floor.
Undrafted forward Sam Hauser broke out of his summer slump as well, going 6-for-10 from three-point land while also dishing out seven assists. Second-round pick Juhann Begarin got the start for the Celtics and the 19-year-old from France made the most of it, stuffing the stat sheet with seven points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
The Celtics improved to 3-0 in summer action with Thursday night's victory and have outscored opponents by 64 points. There is no "playoff" bracket in this year's Summer League, so the two teams with the best record and top point differential will play for the title. With a win over Philly on Saturday, even if it isn't of the blowout variety, the Celtics should be playing for the summer crown in Vegas.
