Anfernee Simons provided a massive spark off the bench in the Boston Celtics’ 115-101 home win over the Chicago Bulls on Monday night. The 26-year-old guard contributed a team-high 27 points, three rebounds, three assists, and eight three-pointers on 9-for-16 shooting in 27 minutes of action.
“He’s a hell of a ball player… He can play on any team the way he can create for himself, create for others, or play off-ball. He’s a complete ball player. And you guys see it every night,” Payton Pritchard, who had 21 points on 8-for-17 shooting, said of Simons via Justin Turpin of WEEI.
“What you see from him is kinda what you get. Just a guy that has come in with a great attitude. He’s happy to be here, wants to do whatever it takes to win, and has an understanding of that. But also is super confident,” head coach Joe Mazzulla added.
The Boston Celtics didn’t exactly have a great shooting night, especially with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White combining for 9-for-39 shooting. However, they made up for it through their defense, which has conceded only 33 points from the Chicago Bulls in the first half.
Boston Celtics News: Payton Pritchard sets lofty expectations amid the team’s purple patch
The Boston Celtics are now second in the Eastern Conference after last night’s victory and the New York Knicks’ 121-90 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. After the game, Payton Pritchard was asked about getting the second seed, but the one-time NBA champion said he isn’t satisfied.
“I take a lot of pride in being first in the East, and we still need some work to get to that point. So that’s the main goal,” Pritchard stated.
The Boston Celtics will play the second game of their four-game homestand against the undermanned Denver Nuggets on Wednesday. Denver is coming off a gutsy overtime win against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.
