Make no mistake about it: the Celtics don’t beat the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday without Payton Pritchard. In the first half, Boston needed a lift. Their defense was nearly non-existent, disrupting the rhythm of the offense.
Enter Pritchard.
Boston’s spark plug poured in 17 points in just 13:38, shooting 6-of-9 (66.7%) from the field and 5-of-8 (62.5%) from deep. Pritchard kept Boston afloat and within striking distance until the starters—and the defense—arrived in the second half.
His 17 first-half points matched the total output of Milwaukee’s entire bench, giving a crucial lift to a Celtics team that had struggled, shooting just 13-of-37 (35.1%) overall and 6-of-21 (28.5%) from beyond the arc without him.
“He’s been carrying us for stretches of the game with both his ball pressure and shooting,” Joe Mazzulla said. “That kind of kept us around.”
This wasn’t anything new for the fifth-year pro, who became the first player in Celtics franchise history to score at least 15 points and hit at least three triples off the bench in five consecutive games.
“I feel like he kind of does it by himself. He makes plays himself,” Jrue Holiday said postgame. “He knows how to play well off people. He can get to the paint and score. He can score from three. He can score from half-court. A very efficient player. Somebody you love to play with. He always wants to push the pace. And then he’s picking up defensively. I think he’s making it hard. He had a couple of great steals or deflections in the game, and again, the way that he plays is winning basketball.”
Pritchard has scored 182 points off the bench this season, the most by any reserve—129 (70.8%) of his points have come from beyond the arc, where he is shooting a career-best 41.3%.
The Oregon product brings unique energy when he checks in, especially early in games, with his pesty play and ability to score in bunches. As evidence, he’s knocked down 31 first-half threes, more than any other player in the league.
There has been a lot of chatter about Pritchard’s Sixth Man of The Year candidacy, and for good reason. The odds at FanDuel Sportsbook have him as the betting favorite at +250 to bring home the John Havlicek Trophy. For what it’s worth, he was at +6000 before the season.
“Payton has been excellent this year,” Jaylen Brown said. “He’s played as good as anybody out there. The way he’s been shooting the ball, the way he’s been making plays for our team, has been incredible. His growth has been great to watch. Payton has been making those steps, and he is a big-time player. Any other team, I think Payton is a guy that can contribute heavily offensively just because of his ability to make plays. For him to be able to weather the storm and be ready when his name is called on this team is big time for us.”
The 26-year-old has made the most of his extended opportunity – something he has been doing since he arrived in the NBA. Pritchard has registered the fourth-most minutes on the team, behind just Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, and Jrue Holiday.
“He’s just a really good, well-rounded basketball player,” said Mazzulla. “Competitive. Nasty.”
In a few instances, he has won Boston games this season. Sunday was the latest example. Pritchard has been everything the Celtics could have asked for in his role and then some.
He is third on the team in points (behind Jayson Tatum and Derrick White), second in threes (behind Tatum), second in three-point percentage (behind Al Horford), fourth in assists (behind Tatum, White, and Holiday), and is tied for second in steals (behind Tatum).
The Celtics know exactly what they’re getting from Pritchard: a confident, high-energy player who impacts the game on both ends of the floor. That’s who he has always been. He’s a well-rounded player who brings competitive fire and grit to every game.
Last season, Pritchard didn’t put up gaudy numbers like 16.5 points per game on 47.9% shooting from the field and 43.0% from deep, but he was still extremely impactful. He finished the season with the league’s best offensive rating (122.8) and second in net rating (13.6), proving his value beyond just the box score.
As a key contributor on a championship-winning team—and with his knack for knocking down clutch end-of-quarter shots—Pritchard’s reputation has grown. Opposing coaches now know they need to account for him in their game plans.
That reputation matters when it comes to end-of-season awards. Maintaining such a high level of production may be tough as the team gets healthier, but one thing is clear: Pritchard has arrived. He’s going to be a fixture near the top of the Sixth Man of the Year conversation throughout the season—and he very well may take home the trophy.
Related
