The Celtics secured a hard-fought 121-118 victory on Sunday, benefiting from big performances by key contributors including Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard. Despite a spirited fourth-quarter push from James Harden and the Clippers, Boston held on for the win. Here are the key takeaways from the game.
### The Celtics Got a Clutch Win—Barely
The Celtics have struggled in clutch situations this season, and Sunday’s game was no exception. What should have been a comfortable win turned into a nail-biter in the closing seconds, mostly due to James Harden’s late-game heroics.
Harden scored 18 of his 37 points in the fourth quarter, all coming in the final 4:20. He made three 3-pointers and three free throws following a somewhat questionable 3-point foul call on Jordan Walsh. His final three-pointer trimmed the Celtics’ lead to just one point with three seconds left.
Several moments swung the game back in Boston’s favor:
– Derrick White and Payton Pritchard both hit clutch 3-pointers in the final seconds, keeping the Clippers at bay.
– With 14 seconds remaining, Pritchard brilliantly broke through the Clippers’ full-court press and found Jaylen Brown under the basket for a dunk that pushed the lead to five points.
– On the last play, the Clippers attempted a desperation heave: Kris Dunn threw a long pass to Ivica Zubac, who then found a streaking Harden. Harden’s shot rattled the rim and backboard but bounced out, sealing the Celtics’ win.
### Jaylen Brown Was Excellent
When the Celtics needed a leader to overcome their clutch-time issues, Jaylen Brown stepped up. He scored 33 points, including 13 in the fourth quarter. Although his overall shooting wasn’t particularly efficient (33 points on 33 shots, 1-for-7 from three, 4-for-7 from the free-throw line), Brown dominated from mid-range.
Brown is carving out his place alongside Celtics legends like Isaiah Thomas and Paul Pierce with his ability to create and score from the mid-range — even when defenses know where he wants to be. On the defensive end, Brown was equally impressive, pulling down 13 rebounds and playing tough defense.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla praised Brown after the game:
> “The only thing he cares about is winning. He’s finding a great balance of putting us in position to win, empowering his teammates, and doing what he needs to do in games for us to give us a shot.”
Brown acknowledged how his role has evolved throughout his career:
> “I’ve been a lockdown defender and scorer and catch-and-shoot guy, come off the bench. I feel like I’m an all-around player. This year is more of a challenge of your endurance. That’s it.”
### Derrick White Showed Promise
The first 13 games of the season presented a challenging transition for Derrick White into a larger role, but Sunday’s performance was encouraging. White finished with 22 points on 7-for-17 shooting, flirted with a triple-double (seven rebounds and nine assists), and blocked two shots. He was also 4-for-8 from beyond the arc.
White excelled in the pick-and-roll, which is crucial for a Celtics offense that heavily relies on Brown’s ability to create his own shot. White’s ability to facilitate helped offset some of the offensive responsibilities, similar to Jayson Tatum’s dual role as scorer and facilitator.
He found teammates with high-impact assists, including three to Payton Pritchard and one to Baylor Scheierman, demonstrating great court vision. As the season progresses, White’s full adaptation to the Celtics’ system could bode well for the team.
### Payton Pritchard Got Hot (Again)
Payton Pritchard continued his recent upward trajectory, delivering his best game of the season with 30 points on 10-for-16 shooting, including eight 3-pointers on 13 attempts.
Pritchard caught fire in the third quarter, scoring 14 points with four triples in the first four minutes as Boston’s lead swelled to as many as 24 points before the Clippers began their comeback.
His shooting threat forced the Clippers to adjust their defense, which opened up opportunities for teammates like Derrick White. Pritchard is now shooting nearly 48 percent from three over his last five games, despite some off shooting nights in between.
Coach Mazzulla remains optimistic about both Pritchard and White:
> “They work too hard and they’re too good of players. They’ll go up, they’ll go down, but at the end of day, they’ll make plays, and we’ve just got to execute as a team.”
### Jordan Walsh Held His Own Against Harden
While Harden had a strong fourth quarter, only one of his nine field goals came with Jordan Walsh defending him from the start of the possession—a late layup. Walsh forced Harden into tough shots and used his length, athleticism, and defensive IQ to limit Harden’s effectiveness.
Although Harden drew several trips to the free-throw line against Walsh (including three late free throws after a reviewed foul), Walsh’s defensive effort earned praise from Mazzulla:
> “It’s just Jordan’s ability to stay disciplined throughout the entire thing. He’s showing a true mindset, professionalism, and toughness to do that every night.”
Walsh’s contributions went beyond defense, grabbing six defensive rebounds and two offensive boards throughout the game.
### Derrick Jones Jr. Injury Raises Concerns
Unfortunately, the Clippers suffered a potentially serious injury in the second quarter. Derrick Jones Jr. appeared hurt in a freak accident while pursuing a loose ball. As Jaylen Brown reached for the ball, he landed awkwardly on Jones’ leg, causing the forward to crumple to the floor in visible pain.
After a timeout, Jones was helped off the court and appeared unable to put weight on his leg. The Clippers had no immediate update, but the sequence was concerning. The team has already been dealing with injuries to Kawhi Leonard (ankle) and Bradley Beal (season-ending fractured hip), making Jones’ status a key concern moving forward.
### A Very Joe Mazzulla Take on “Fun”
After the game, a young reporter from Sports Illustrated Kids asked Coach Mazzulla how he balances pushing players to improve while keeping the experience fun.
Mazzulla admitted he struggles with that balance:
> “I think fun is a cop out sometimes. When things aren’t going well, everybody likes to say, ‘Well, let’s just have fun.’ And it’s like, ‘Well, what does that mean?’
> I think you have to define what fun looks like as a team, and then you kind of have to go after that. But that phrase can be a cop out sometimes, so as you get older, kid, don’t use it. Say ‘I just want to have fun,’ it’s like, well, what does that mean? So, you’ve just got to define that. It’s a good question. I struggle with that.”
If you expected Mazzulla to call “fun” a cop-out to a child reporter, you weren’t wrong.
### What’s Next
The Celtics will face the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday night in Brooklyn before returning to TD Garden for a rematch as part of NBA Cup group play. Following that, Boston will welcome the Orlando Magic next Sunday.
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The Celtics showed resilience and balanced contributions on Sunday to secure another win. With key players like Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard stepping up and defensive efforts from players like Jordan Walsh, Boston looks poised to keep competing hard as the season unfolds.
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2025/11/16/jaylen-brown-celtics-hold-off-james-harden-clippers-late-to-claim-rare-clutch-win-8-takeaways/