Payton Pritchard has huge relief to have himself return to strong form after balling out in the Boston Celtics' 134-99 blowout win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.

Pritchard has been playing in the NBA since 2020, going through his seventh season with the Celtics. He made his way up the ranks to become one of the team's most important players, winning Sixth Man of the Year in 2025.

However, he had a shaky start two games into the 2026-27 season. He began the campaign with 17 points and four rebounds in the opener against the Detroit Pistons on Oct. 20 before regressing to four points and four assists against the New York Knicks on Oct. 23.

Pritchard delivered in a major way throughout Boston's rout over Chicago. In 22 minutes of action off the bench, he produced 28 points, four assists, two steals, and one rebounds. He shot 10-of-16 from the field, including 7-of-10 from beyond the arc. The star guard reflected on his performance after the game, feeling positive to be back in rhythm for Boston again.

“It just feels good to catch a rhythm again and just bounce back from the other night,” Pritchard said, per reporter Bobby Krivitsky. “I’ve mentioned it, but I just have slow starts to the season, so catching a rhythm like this and being aggressive tonight was my mindset.”

Payton Pritchard on his game-high 28-point performance (he also had four assists and two steals):

“It just feels good to catch a rhythm again and just bounce back from the other night.

“I’ve mentioned it, but I just have slow starts to the season, so catching a rhythm like this… https://t.co/4mokMkoGo8 pic.twitter.com/oWR7rMklhb

— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) October 27, 2026

How Payton Pritchard, Celtics played against Bulls

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Payton Pritchard and the Celtics enjoyed smooth sailing as they torched the Bulls for most of the night, especially with 33-21 and 39-21 displays in the first and third quarters.

Five players scored in double-digits for Boston in the win, including Pritchard. Jayson Tatum delivered a solid night with 23 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and one steal. He shot 7-of-17 overall, including 2-of-5 from downtown, and 7-of-8 from the free-throw line. Paul George came next with 16 points and five rebounds, Hugo Gonzalez had 13 points and five rebounds, while Sam Hauser provided 11 points and four rebounds.

The Celtics will look forward to their next matchup, remaining at home. They host the Brooklyn Nets as tip-off commences on Oct. 28 at 7:30 p.m. ET.