Former Oregon Duck Payton Pritchard is heading to the NBA Finals

Payton Pritchard led the Ducks on many memorable runs through the Pac-12 and NCAA Tournaments while he was playing for Oregon.

Now, he’s a part of yet another memorable postseason run, but this time he’s playing for the Boston Celtics.

In their latest step toward the championship trophy, the Celtics are coming off a 4-0 series sweep over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.

Led by stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Pritchard has clocked crucial minutes throughout the postseason.

Against the Pacers, Pritchard had 27 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds over 65 minutes throughout the four games.

Pritchard’s three-point shooting prowess has been on display all season, especially throughout the tournament, averaging 38.5 percent from beyond the arc.

Before taking on the Pacers, Boston defeated the Miami Heat to kick off their postseason run in a 4-1 series victory. The Celtics then toppled the Cleveland Cavaliers in yet another 4-1 series win.

As Boston prepares for a return to the NBA Finals, the Celtics await their opponents, who will either be the Dallas Mavericks or the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Pritchard played for the Ducks from 2016 to 2020, ending his college career with a season devastatingly cut short, especially because the Ducks were looking primed for a run to the Final Four, if not beyond.

Throughout his four years at Oregon, the point guard averaged 13.5 points, 4.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds per game.

His freshman season saw a berth into the NCAA Final Four after a crucial assist to fellow guard Dillon Brooks who scored the game-winning three-pointer.

In 2019, he was named the MVP of the Pac-12 Tournament after leading the Ducks to a conference championship.

Pritchard was selected 26th overall by the Celtics in the 2020 NBA Draft and has been in Boston ever since.

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