BOSTON — The Celtics needed what Payton Pritchard gave them to start their repeating campaign.
Whether due to Sam Hauser’s early season back injury leaving the bench scoring bare, or when Pritchard needed to play more or even close to counteract slow starts or stretches, he’s provided stunningly consistent scoring, flashes of play-making, capable defense and energy when other players lacked it. The late quarter heaves have taken on a life of their own.
On Monday, the second half of a back-to-back where the Celtics routed the Heat, 108-89, Pritchard scored 25 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block on 10-of-17 shooting while knocking down 5-of-12 from three. Boston won his minutes by 16, vaulting him to 37th in +/- (+93). It’s becoming productivity more reminiscent of a star than the team’s sixth man, averaging 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.9 assists and shooting 43.1% from three. In recent weeks, his reliance on the three decreased, shooting 5-of-5 from two on Monday.
“I think it’s important, returning the exact same team, to find a different identity and I think he really works at it,” Joe Mazzulla said. “The key to him is he finds different ways to impact games, but he’s grown as a player over the course of his career … his ball pressure and his defense, so he’s a complete player. I know it sounds weird, but he’s one of the best three-level scorers that I’ve seen, especially for his size, and he’s just a high-level competitor.”
Over his last five games, arguably the best stretch of his career that’s included his flame-throwing, game saving fourth quarter in Chicago, 24 points at Cleveland without Derrick White and a 6-for-10 three point shooting night against the Clippers, Pritchard also shot 66.7% at the rim, 77.8% in the paint and 53.3% from mid-range. A late possession against the Cavs saw him posting-up Darius Garland successfully, something he almost never does. Pritchard screened in a White-like fashion alongside Jayson Tatum in the close loss before returning to an on-ball bench role in unfamiliar lineups one day later. He’s played all 21 games after an 82-game campaign.
It’s become the best story on the team. A luxury and a potential dilemma as Pritchard’s productivity demands maximum floor time. Jrue Holiday rested on Monday while White returned, allowing Pritchard to play 33 minutes in an eventual blowout win. Prior to White suffering his injury in Chicago, he still averaged 27 MPG, Mazzulla trying three-guard lineups, extended bench stretches and a spot closing role to keep him on the floor.
“His teammates understanding we have to have a different identity, we need to go to different stuff,” Mazzulla said after Monday’s win. “And he takes a ton of pressure off the other guys, and so I think it’s two-fold. It’s what he’s done and the team empowering him to do that, because he’s special.”
The twist-and-turns Pritchard’s career took from becoming Danny Ainge’s final draft pick, initially in infamous fashion with the team passing on a chance to select early hit Desmond Bane at No. 26. Pritchard entered the league through the COVID draft long after his final college season in November, with no workouts, limited meetings and an abbreviated training camp. His ready-made game earned him minutes immediately before a string of veteran guards playing in front of him, from Kemba Walker to Malcolm Brogdon, culminated in a desire to be traded in 2023. That deadline, Brad Stevens offered Pritchard and Danilo Gallinari for Spurs center Jakob Poeltl. It’s easy to imagine a world where Pritchard’s scoring 20 PPG for San Antonio ever since.
Instead, Pritchard emerged in an effective albeit less consistent role than we’re watching now, utilizing methods like corner crashing on the offensive glass to counteract his slower shooting stretches. He started last regular season ice cold after a hot preseason. His spot starts and expanded opportunities led to him flourishing, while the shorter bursts saw him less consistent. Defensive improvement made him a more prepared playoff contributor, and though he had his moments guarding Luka Dončić in the Finals, Sam Hauser played a larger role. Even at that point, the four-year, $30 million extension he signed prior to the season simply felt like a fair deal.
Now, as Pritchard pours in over 20 points per 36 minutes, his upside playing on the biggest bargain contract in the league becomes the conversation entering his age-27 season — how he’ll help this roster sustain into the future and where he can expand his game from here. He’s done it as a defender already, limiting his assignments to 46.2% shooting this season, though he remains a target in smaller lineups. He made good on an offseason goal to improve his pull-up shooting, hitting 39.7% of his threes off the bounce after converting only 30% in 2024. His finishing inside eight feet rose to 66.7% from 63.4% last season, drawing 1.9 free throw attempts per game (0.7 in 2024).
Situationally, Mazzulla found two years ago that Boston can use his speed in end-of-quarters scenarios, and that’s expanded into a scene like Sunday where he’s in at the end of the game, trading free throws while threatening to take the game-tying shot with the Celtics strapped for time. Boston produced a good look for him against Cleveland’s zone with five seconds left. A brief hesitation after the catch allowed the Cavs to foul him. Like other coaches have recently, Kenny Atkinson highlighted Pritchard after the game, saying they began fouling early to prevent a Pritchard pull-up.
He’s become one of the most important players on the Celtics in 2024-25, and it’ll become fascinating how Boston maintains his outsized role. It’s insult to injury for the rest of the league, already having to account for so much on the Celtics before their third guard who’s turned into Isaiah Thomas. So far, he’s run away with the sixth man race.
“If I get voted (Sixth Man of the Year) and I get that honor, that would be incredible,” Pritchard said recently. “But I’m not gonna chase it and go try to get stats. It’s more about playing winning basketball, and like I said, if I’m fortunate enough to win it through that, that would be an honor.”
