Payton Pritchard Makes Key Point About Celtics’ Multiple Losses To Pistons

Boston Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard has a wise perspective on his team’s 1-3 record against the Detroit Pistons this season.

Speaking to the media after Boston’s recent loss to the Pistons in Detroit on Monday, Pritchard pointed out that regular-season head-to-head records don’t always mean anything once the postseason begins.

Pritchard pointed to last season as a prime example, when the Celtics went 4-0 against the New York Knicks in the regular season but ended up losing to New York in the playoffs.

Payton Pritchard on the Celtics going 1-3 but losing close games to the Pistons:

“We lost to the Knicks last year and we went 4-0.” pic.twitter.com/IqtApj7lC1

— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) January 20, 2026

Monday night was another close game between Detroit and Boston, reminding fans that these two teams are evenly matched. The contest came down to the final possession, in which Jaylen Brown back-rimmed a jumper that would have won the game for the Celtics.

These are very clearly the top two teams in the Eastern Conference, so long as the Knicks continue to struggle.

And while the Pistons might go shopping for a big addition before the Feb. 5 trade deadline, the Celtics have a big addition of their own possibly on the way in the form of Jayson Tatum returning from injury.

A playoff showdown feels inevitable between these two hard-nosed squads, and provided they each keep stacking wins during the regular-season, that matchup might not happen until the Eastern Conference Finals.