Payton Pritchard made it clear earlier in the Boston Celtics 2026 NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs first round series with the Philadelphia 76ers that Boston would deal with the return of Joel Embiid if and when such a moment arose. And when that moment rolled around in Game 4 of the series, the Celtics leaned into their corporate knowledge of managing his impact on the game to blow out Philadelphia 128-96 at their own home arena.
“(Our) mindset didn’t change for us, and honestly, as far as scouting goes, we just changed maybe a small adjustment right before the game, but we didn’t talk about it at all,” said Pritchard after the critical Celtics victory.
“Obviously he’s a tremendous player and he can be a tough cover,” he added. “But for us, it’s focused on us and how we want to play. And it’s both ends, being into the ball defensively, crashing the glass, then making the right reads. I thought we did a good job of crashing the glass tonight and getting second chances that can be the difference.”
“I felt more aggressive,” said Pritchard of his improved play in Game 4. “I felt like I was in a better better rhythm, especially with my jump shot, so I was I was happy with it.”
“I thought it was a step in the right direction, getting to where I want to get to. But tonight was another good step and hopefully I continue it.”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Payton Pritchard on how Celtics prepared for Joel Embiid return