The Boston Celtics delivered a dominant 112–93 win over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night, with Payton Pritchard stealing the spotlight in an NBA clash watched closely by UK basketball fans following the league’s overnight action.
The result matters because it halts Boston’s brief home wobble, while Sacramento’s problems on the road continue to deepen.
The game took place in Boston, in the early hours of Saturday UK time, and highlighted the growing gap in form between an in-control Celtics side and a Kings team sliding fast.
What happened in Celtics vs Kings?
Boston set the tone early and never looked back. Payton Pritchard scored a game-high 29 points, shooting 12 of 16 from the floor and hitting five three-pointers.
He did most of his damage before half-time, punishing Sacramento’s loose defence and controlling the tempo.
Payton Pritchard is going CRAZY to kick off this game
11 points in 5-5 shooting with 4 assists
With 3.5 minutes left in the first quarter!
The Celtics’ offense is running wild, leading the Kings 29-17pic.twitter.com/iwzEi3Z5h7
— SleeperCeltics (@SleeperCeltics) January 31, 2026
The Celtics stormed into a 40–25 first-quarter lead and went into the break 72–46 ahead, effectively ending the contest before it reached the final two quarters.
“Pritchard controlled the game from the opening minutes,” a Celtics broadcast analyst said during the live coverage.
Why was Payton Pritchard the difference?
Pritchard’s efficiency made the biggest impact. He scored 22 points in the first half alone, missing just two shots and adding eight assists before the interval.
With Jaylen Brown ruled out due to hamstring tightness and a knee issue, Pritchard stepped up as Boston’s main scoring option.
That performance matters because Brown has averaged 29.4 points per game this season, and Boston needed someone to fill that gap quickly. Pritchard did exactly that.
How did the Celtics dominate the game?
Boston’s shooting and rebounding told the story.
- 65.1% shooting in the first half
- 18 made three-pointers overall
- Strong inside presence, led by Neemias Queta
Queta finished with 10 points and 15 rebounds, giving the Celtics control of the paint and second-chance opportunities.
Anfernee Simons and Baylor Scheierman added 16 points each, keeping the scoring balanced and preventing Sacramento from focusing on one threat.
What went wrong for the Sacramento Kings?
The Kings’ struggles away from home continued. Sacramento has now lost eight games in a row and sits at 3–22 on the road this season. They failed to lead at any point during the game and shot just 37.3% from the field.
Zach LaVine led the Kings with 17 points, while Maxime Raynaud recorded a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double. Nique Clifford added 15 points, but none of it was enough to slow Boston’s momentum.
The Kings briefly closed the gap late in the third quarter, but the Celtics’ lead never dropped below 16 points in the final period.
How does this compare to their last meeting?
This was Boston’s second comfortable win over Sacramento this season. The Celtics previously beat the Kings 120–106 in Sacramento on 1 January, when Jaylen Brown posted 29 points and 10 rebounds. Even without him this time, Boston looked just as composed.
That consistency shows why the Celtics remain one of the NBA’s most reliable teams, a point often highlighted by analysts covering the league for UK audiences.
