Celtics-Nuggets takeaways: ‘Preseason P’ returns in C’s win originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The reigning NBA champion Boston Celtics picked up where they left off with a win over the Denver Nuggets in their preseason opener in Abu Dhabi.
Denver started hot and took a seven-point lead into halftime, but Boston found its groove defensively over the final two frames. After allowing 32 and 31 points in the first two quarters, the C’s allowed only 40 total points in the second half.
Unsurprisingly, Joe Mazzulla’s group didn’t hesitate to fire away from deep. The Celtics attempted a whopping 61 3-pointers and made 20 of them (32.8 percent). Sixteen of those 3s were made by the second unit, which stepped up to propel Boston to a 107-103 victory.
The C’s and Nuggets will stay in Abu Dhabi for a rematch on Sunday. The opening tip is set for 10 a.m. ET with coverage starting at 9:30 a.m. on NBC Sports Boston.
Here are three quick takeaways from Friday’s preseason opener.
The return of ‘Preseason P’
NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics play-by-play voice Drew Carter dubbed Payton Pritchard “Preseason P” during the C’s guard’s outstanding 2023 preseason run. The nickname is back for 2024.
“Preseason P” dropped a game-high 21 points, including 14 in the second quarter. He was 6 of 12 from beyond the arc with a team-high six assists and four rebounds in 24 minutes.
Pritchard had two iconic moments in the 2024 NBA Finals, drilling half-court buzzer beaters to end the first halves of Games 2 and 5. While it wasn’t from half-court this time, Pritchard continued to show he’s virtually automatic in the final seconds of the second quarter.
After the game, Pritchard spoke about what he worked on over the summer to improve.
“Getting more consistent off the dribble from the 3-ball,” he said. “I thought my finishing and my midrange game last year took a big jump, so I thought that was really good. Obviously, I’m always working on that stuff, but if I can be more efficient shooting off the dribble from there as well as the catch-and-shoot, that completes my game.
“And then defensively, just finding ways to be better at taking charges, getting…
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