Payton Pritchard scored 24 points, hit five 3-pointers, and dished out nine assists as the Boston Celtics defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 131-95 on Wednesday night. Derrick White added 20 points, while Jaylen Brown contributed 19 in Boston’s dominant performance.
The Celtics never trailed, making 21 three-pointers and building a 38-point lead behind their efficient offense. Boston outrebounded Memphis 58-41 and held a 34-12 advantage in second-chance points.
Memphis played without star guard Ja Morant, who sat out with a right ankle injury sustained in Tuesday’s loss at New York. Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 18 points, and Santi Aldama added 14 as the team lost for the seventh time in eight games.
Boston shot 53% from the field in the first half, connecting on 27 of 51 attempts to take a 67-46 lead. The Celtics’ defensive intensity limited Memphis to 34% shooting overall and just 10-of-43 from three-point range.
The Grizzlies briefly cut into the deficit early in the third quarter, but Boston’s balanced scoring, led by Pritchard and White, quickly restored control. The Celtics maintained a double-digit lead through the fourth quarter, never allowing Memphis a chance to get back into the game.
Jordan Walsh contributed seven points off the bench, while Anfernee Simons added six in limited minutes. Boston’s combination of outside shooting and interior dominance overwhelmed the Grizzlies on both ends of the court.
The Celtics (6-7) will host the Clippers on Sunday, while Memphis (4-9) travels to Cleveland on Saturday.
