Payton Pritchard’s first-half surge leads Celtics past Kings, 112-93, amid key absences at TD Garden

Pritchard sets early tone as Boston builds a halftime cushion it never relinquishes

Payton Pritchard delivered a first-half burst that shaped Friday night’s game at TD Garden, scoring 22 of his 29 points before halftime as the Boston Celtics rolled past the Sacramento Kings, 112-93, on Jan. 30, 2026.

Boston led 72-46 at the break after scoring 40 points in the opening quarter and 32 in the second. The Celtics’ advantage peaked at 31, with the game largely decided by the efficiency and pace they generated early.

Shorthanded lineups, heavy perimeter production, and controlled ball security

The Celtics played without Jaylen Brown, who was sidelined with a right knee contusion and tightness in his left hamstring. Jayson Tatum also did not play. With that backdrop, Boston’s rotation leaned on guards and wings to create scoring and ball movement, and the group responded with a sharp, low-turnover performance.

Baylor Scheierman started in Brown’s place and scored 16 points. Pritchard and Scheierman combined to make nine three-pointers on 13 attempts, providing much of the spacing that fueled Boston’s early run. Derrick White orchestrated the offense with nine assists as Boston finished with 25 assists and only seven turnovers.

For the game, Boston shot 45% from the field and went 18-of-48 from three-point range. Sacramento, by comparison, shot 37% overall and 10-of-31 from deep. The Kings attempted and made far more free throws (21-of-23) than Boston (10-of-16), but struggled to generate consistent field-goal offense once the Celtics established their lead.

Queta’s interior impact and a first-half avalanche

Neemias Queta posted 10 points and 15 rebounds, providing interior presence as Boston controlled key stretches on the glass and finished with a 38-30 edge in points in the paint. Sacramento collected 15 offensive rebounds to Boston’s 14, but the Kings’ second-chance opportunities did not translate into enough sustained scoring to change the game’s trajectory.

Where the Kings were hurt most

Sacramento dropped to 12-38 overall (3-22 on the road) and extended its losing streak to eight games. Zach LaVine led the Kings with 17 points, while Nique Clifford added 15. Maxime Raynaud recorded a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double.

The decisive separation came early: Boston won the first quarter 40-25, then widened the margin with a 32-21 second quarter. From there, the Celtics maintained control through the final two periods without needing a closing sprint.

• Final: Celtics 112, Kings 93
• Halftime: Celtics 72, Kings 46
• Pritchard: 29 points, including 22 before halftime
• Team indicators: Boston 25 assists, 7 turnovers; Sacramento 16 turnovers

Boston’s first half combined high-volume three-point success with steady playmaking, creating a margin that held for the entire second half.