NBA: Payton Pritchard leads Celtics again in win over 76ers

Boston Celtics’ Payton Pritchard, left, drives against Philadelphia 76ers’ Jaden Springer during the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game Wednesday, Oct. 11, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)

PHILADELPHIA— Payton Pritchard scored 17 points to lead Boston in scoring for a third straight NBA preseason game and the Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers for the second time in four days, 112-101 on Wednesday night.

Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White each had 11 points in the first half, and Pritchard added 10 points to help Boston build a 67-59 lead. Porzingis scored five of Boston’s opening seven points.

Pritchard played 24 minutes while Porzingis, Holiday and White did not play after each logged 17 minutes in the first half. Pritchard was 7 of 15 from the field, including 3 of 9 from 3-point range. White, who led the league in blocks by a guard last season, also had three blocks in the first half.

Payton Pritchard & Sam Hauser had it going in the @celtics road #NBAPreseason win!

Payton Pritchard: 17 PTS, 3 AST, 3 3PM
Sam Hauser: 15 PTS, 4 REB, 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/G7xlnlMmJk

— NBA (@NBA) October 12, 2023

New Sixer Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 18 points with four 3-pointers and Tyrese Maxey added 17 points. Joel Embiid and James Harden again did not play.

Oubre made a corner 3-pointer to give Philadelphia a 28-25 lead following a 10-0 run and he finished the half with 16 points after making all five of his shots, including four 3-pointers. Oubre also had an alley-oop dunk along the baseline during Philadelphia’s 8-0 run to tie it at 72-all early in the third quarter.

Pritchard was coming off a 21-point performance in a 114-107 loss to New York on Monday. He also scored 26 points in a 114-106 win over Philadelphia to begin the preseason on Sunday.