The most productive playoff performance of Payton Pritchard’s career helped spark the Celtics in their Game 3 win.

Jalen Brunson lost sight of Pritchard after a double-screen from Jayson Tatum and Porzingis, leaving the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year wide open for his first make late in the first quarter. But overall, Pritchard had a suboptimal start to the game, missing three of his first four shots.

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said Saturday that the days leading up to Game 3 of their first-round series against the New York Knicks were not difficult whatsoever. Yes, the Celtics were down 2-0 after blowing two 20-point leads at home,