BOSTON — The Celtics are approaching a brand new yr and though the season is similar, the group views 2025 as a chance to determine some objectives.
Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard led the cost en path to a slump-ending 142-105 blowout win over the Indiana Pacers on Friday night time. The 2 mixed for 62 factors with Brown dropping a season-high 44 and Pritchard falling simply in need of a triple-double with 18 factors, eight rebounds and 10 assists. Nonetheless, that wasn’t sufficient to maintain the duo from setting targets earlier than 2025.
“Simply popping out, ensuring that our guys are able to go — empowering guys, persevering with to feed confidence into our group,” Brown stated postgame. “I believe we’re solely as sturdy as every hyperlink. So empowering guys to proceed their nice play. It could imply quite a bit for me to assist Payton get Sixth Man of the 12 months. So simply persevering with to empower all people on our group and provides them confidence and lead us on protection as effectively — choosing up guys on full-court, getting steals, being lively.”
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Brown’s on observe for an additional elite marketing campaign because the co-star of the reigning champions, averaging 23.8 factors, six rebounds and 4.7 assists. Coming off a title, third profession All-Star nod, and NBA Finals MVP award, it’s tough to shatter a brand new ceiling for the 28-year-old. However that isn’t stopping Brown from looking for new methods to uplift not solely himself, however the group as a complete earlier than the playoffs arrive.
Pritchard, alternatively, is setting an excellent greater bar because the early front-runner for the league’s Sixth Man of the 12 months award. The undersized guard is averaging a career-best 15.3 factors and three.7 rebounds whereas capturing 46.7% from the sphere and 41.4% from 3-point vary throughout 31 video games. Pritchard’s already drained 112 threes, rating the 26-year-old fourth within the league and 14 shy of Anthony Edward of the Minnesota Timberwolves (126) — the NBA’s present 3-point chief.
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“I believe I’m gonna proceed the trail I’m on,” Pritchard stated. “Simply being balanced on the court docket, off the court docket. However simply all the time getting my work in and like I stated, all the time looking for alternative ways to continue to grow as an individual and that’s actually it.”
