Getting into Sunday’s sport, the Boston Celtics and the Washington Wizards each had nothing to play for. The Celtics clinched the primary seed with 11 video games left within the season whereas the Wizards sat second to final within the Japanese Convention with 15 wins. With every staff’s star gamers sitting, it was time for position gamers and end-of-the-bench gamers to step up.
Payton Pritchard isn’t any end-of-the-bench participant; he’s a task participant on a really proficient Celtics staff and due to that, he’s been compelled to be a task participant. Final 12 months, Pritchard featured in 48 video games. Regardless of his need to be on the court docket, he couldn’t get the minutes he needed behind teammates Marcus Good, Derrick White, and Malcolm Brogdon.
Quick ahead to Sunday and Pritchard featured in sport 82 (considered one of simply 17 gamers this season to perform this feat). When he’s acquired his possibilities this 12 months he’s taken it, whether or not it was being one of many first guys off the bench or in spot begins.
After beginning on Friday and dropping a then career-high 31 factors towards the Hornets, Pritchard acquired the beginning nod once more to conclude the common season and he impressed once more scoring a brand new career-high 38 factors on 15-21 capturing. Getting extra minutes over the previous few video games, he was requested postgame if these video games gave him momentum.
“Nah, I already knew I may do that on a nightly foundation, however when you could have a staff with as a lot expertise as we now have, you must do different issues to assist profitable,” Pritchard mentioned. “This doesn’t do something for me, it’s an important efficiency, however finally I’m right here to win a championship. No matter is requested of me, I’ll do this.”
After signing his four-year, $30 million extension (Thanks, Brad), Pritchard is displaying he’s greater than only a position participant on a proficient staff. There will likely be nights when he’s requested to be extra of a facilitator however his skill to create photographs and shoot (38.5% from three this season) ought to bode nicely for him within the playoffs. One query mark he had coming into the season was how would his protection maintain up towards these different guards, but it surely doesn’t appear to be a problem.
On Sunday, Pritchard confirmed why he belongs within the league scoring 14 consecutive factors for the Celtics to shut the second quarter which included 4 three-pointers. But it surely wasn’t simply the scoring from Pritchard that made this such an important efficiency by him. Pritchard understands the sport and the place the openings are when he’s driving with the ball, discovering guys for straightforward layups or open photographs. Pritchard completed the sport with 12 assists displaying he’s greater than only a scorer.
Joe Mazzulla talked about how Pritchard (and Sam Hauser) aren’t outlined by one factor.
“I believe they know what their position is they usually know the way to play the sport, and know the way to influence the sport, they usually’re not outlined by one factor. They take simply as a lot delight of their protection as they do of their offense,” Mazzulla mentioned. “They’re nicely coached by the participant improvement workers, [and] are nice complementary elements to this staff, however on the identical time, they know they’ll influence the sport in numerous methods.”
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Photograph by Brian Fluharty/Getty Photos
On the final sport of the 2023 season, Pritchard file his first, and solely, triple-double of his profession with 30 factors, 11 assists, and 14 rebounds. It was nearly deja vu for Pritchard as he was one rebound shy of what would have been his second-ever triple-double.
In the direction of the previous few minutes of the sport, you possibly can see Pritchard within the paint attempting to battle for that elusive tenth rebound however finally he got here up quick.
“If it got here, I’ll take it. However I acquired one final 12 months, so it wasn’t like I had strain to get my first triple-double,” Pritchard mentioned. “I’m a fairly good rebounder, so if I get the minutes, I believe I’ll be capable to get one other triple-double.”
However even off the ground, Pritchard is a mentor to the youthful guys on the staff. CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell requested Pritchard about being a pacesetter to guys like Jordan Walsh and Drew Peterson.
“A variety of us have to begin from the bottom up. We’re not going to be excessive draft picks so you must get it via your work displaying up day-after-day [and] grinding,” he mentioned. “I simply attempt to feed that to all of the younger ones coming in to do all of the little issues and present up day-after-day and preserve getting higher and higher since you don’t understand how far you possibly can take it.”
There will likely be occasions this postseason Pritchard should step up and ship for Boston whether or not it’s him on the lookout for his shot or creating scoring alternatives for his teammates. Whether or not he will get 10 minutes or half-hour, you recognize Pritchard will give it his all each time he steps onto the court docket.
