{"id":116343,"date":"2023-01-13T13:48:06","date_gmt":"2023-01-13T18:48:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=116343"},"modified":"2023-01-13T18:52:21","modified_gmt":"2023-01-13T23:52:21","slug":"payton-pritchard-prepared-for-increased-role-i-wouldnt-be-here-if-i-didnt-stay-ready","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/?p=116343","title":{"rendered":"Payton Pritchard Prepared for Increased Role: ‘I Wouldn’t Be Here if I (Didn’t) Stay Ready’"},"content":{"rendered":"

BROOKLYN — Prepared for the worst, ready for any and every opportunity, backup point guard Payton Pritchard<\/strong> is making the most of his situation in Boston.<\/p>\n

The Celtics’ injuries to core players such as Marcus Smart<\/strong> and Jaylen Brown<\/strong>, who’s expected to miss up to a week with a right adductor strain, aren’t ideal for the team. Still, for Pritchard, it’s a golden ticket for increased playing time, which comes at a premium this season for the third-string guard.<\/p>\n

His 10.1 minutes per game this season is a career-low, but when Smart missed Wednesday’s game against the Pelicans, Payton saw an uptick in his playing time and made the most of Thursday’s opportunity in Brooklyn. Unlike what we saw in the Celtics’ lopsided defeat against the Thunder — 150-117 — on January 3, where we saw Pritchard score most of his 17 points in 15 minutes while the game was out of reach, with Boston’s starters watching from the bench, these were meaningful minutes against the Brooklyn Nets<\/strong>, and Payton didn’t disappoint.<\/p>\n

Jumpstarting the offense in spurts, Pritchard finished with 9 points and a steal in 15 minutes while creating second-chance opportunities for the Celtics per three offensive rebounds before All-Star Jayson Tatum<\/strong> checked back in and scored a team-high 20 points to put the finishing touches on a 107-98 victory at Barclay Center. It’s Boston’s fifth consecutive win, the second of a back-to-back.<\/p>\n