Payton Pritchard on the Celtics defying the odds this season: "We are trying to be in that championship conversation again"

The Boston Celtics are playing solid basketball, defying the grim forecast hoisted over them in the lead-up to the ongoing campaign. Guard Payton Pritchard, however, is not at all surprised by their showing, believing that their team is programmed to deliver in whatever setting it is put in.

With resident superstar Jayson Tatum expected to miss some time as he continues to recover from an Achilles injury and the team deciding to let go of valuable pieces like Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford in the offseason, many pundits and observers saw the Celtics having a hard time keeping in step with the rest of the field.

While it has had its struggles, Boston is anything but the “doomed” team it was painted as at season’s start, as it is thriving with a winning record of 22-12, currently third in the Eastern Conference.

On his appearance on NBA on Prime, Pritchard, now playing in his sixth year with the Celtics, spoke about their ongoing campaign, including the great satisfaction he is having in proving their doubters wrong and the mindset they collectively have in making things happen.

“It definitely feels good [to prove the doubters wrong]. I feel like there’s still more steps to take. We can grow a lot more and keep getting better and better. I don’t think we’re sitting here like ‘Oh, we’re third, let’s celebrate’. We’re used to being first and winning championships,” Pritchard said.

“It’s like nothing new. We are trying to be the number 1 seed and work our way to being in that conversation of winning a championship again. So that’s the main objective,” he added.

Celtics getting it done

Boston’s cause has been greatly helped with the team doing a great job of putting itself in a position to still succeed amid the challenging position it is in.

All-Star Jaylen Brown, for one, has stepped up big time and been churning out MVP-worthy numbers of 30.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.1 steals. The stellar year he is having has cushioned the impact of Tatum’s absence while giving the Celtics a steady main man this season to anchor their offense.

It has also helped that the team has been getting solid contributions from Derrick White, reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year Pritchard and new Celtic Anfernee Simons. Young big man Neemias Queta, for his part, is coming around well with averages of 10.1 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.3 blocks, effectively filling up the void left by Porzingis, Horford and Luke Kornet.

Then there is the team embracing fully the grim forecast they were handed, forcing them to play with a chip on their shoulder and continuing to defy the odds.

Tatum’s return

As much as things are doing well for the Celtics, things are still looking up for them, with Tatum expected to rejoin the team in the second half of their campaign.

JT’s return will be a massive upgrade in talent as he is a legit near triple-double threat. Last season, he posted regular-season averages of 26.8 points, 8.7 rebounds and 6.1 assists. In the playoffs, he upped his numbers to 28.1 points and 11.5 rebounds and helped Boston reach the Eastern Conference semifinals before tearing his Achilles.

At the rate they are going, the rest of the field is better off not sleeping on the Celtics. They may not look like the team of seasons past, but as Pritchard has underscored, their resilient and go-getting ways remain in their core, making them a group to contend with.

This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Payton Pritchard on the Celtics defying the odds this season: “We are trying to be in that championship conversation again”

Tags: