Boston Celtics third-year reserve shooter Payton Pritchard received the nod very early in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Pritchard provides energy on both ends of the court. He was put in the game to be a pest on defense in guarding Kyle Lowry and Jimmy Butler as soon as he entered the game.

Payton Pritchard is the 8th man tonight, checking in to guard Lowry but immediately gets switched onto Jimmy Butler and still manages to help get the defensive rebound on his first play.

— Jared Weiss (@JaredWeissNBA) May 18, 2023

Pritchard played five minutes in the first half, he didn’t score but he played great defense and made the Heat work for their points.

We’ll see if he continues to play as the game continues on in the second half.

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