Getty Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics
Payton Pritchard came to the rescue for the Boston Celtics in the second half of their February 26 contest against the Detroit Pistons.
Detroit, who snapped Boston’s nine-game win streak before the All-Star break was causing the Celtics all kinds of problems throughout the contest until Pritchard caught fire after the half-time break.
“Payton’s got that mentality where it’s like you won’t take no for an answer. He’s never going to give up. Those are the guys I like to be around. Those are the guys whose belief in themself and their confidence in themselves is high, and mine is the same way. And Payton is one of those people that’s never going to give up on himself.
He always believes in himself no matter what the situation is. It doesn’t matter if the cards are stacked up against him. Payton is the type of guy to bet on himself. Those are the type of guys I like to roll with,” Jaylen Brown said following Pritchard’s game-saving performance.
Pritchard, in his second year in the NBA, has struggled to earn a consistent role within the Celtics rotation this season, primarily due to the arrival of Dennis Schroder. When Schroder was traded to the Houston Rockets at the February 14 trade deadline, many believed that would open up additional minutes for the second-year guard, but the arrival of Derrick White has consumed the majority of minutes Pritchard would have expected to get.
Udoka Joins The Praise of Pritchard
When a player who featured heavily during the previous season finds themselves on the outside of a rotation, it’s natural to wonder what they’ve done wrong, or why they no longer fit within the team’s scheme. It’s been no different for Pritchard, who along with fellow second-year player Aaron Nesmith, have both spent the majority of the season riding the bench.
Udoka gave some insight into Pritchard’s struggles following the Celtics victory over the Pistons, noting that the young sharpshooting guard was a victim of the team’s overall depth, rather than him not being deserving of a place in the team.
“He hasn’t got the opportunity as much with Dennis, and now that Dennis is gone it opens up some stuff for him. Derrick wasn’t his best tonight so he got more of a run there, and with Marcus in some foul trouble, it afforded him some more opportunity.
We stuck with him, he was playing well, guarding well, and being very aggressive. And so, as I mentioned before, it was nothing he ever did during the season and we’re very confident in him, and the group is looking for him all the time. Had a great game, obviously had a huge impact,” Udoka said.
It’s worth noting that Pritchard did feature in the Celtics’ February 24 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, playing 13 minutes and dropping six points, so it’s not like this is his first appearance in a while.
Pritchard Has Struggled Recently
It’s normal for players to struggle in their second season, in fact, it’s often referred to as a “sophomore slump.” Teams have figured out your go-to moves, the scouting report on your game is far more in-depth, and the rigors of an NBA off-season, where you’ve spent most of your time with a skills-trainer, are already taking a heavy toll on your body.
Pritchard isn’t the first player to fall victim to such a slump and certainly won’t be the last. But, we can’t forget the young guards worth to this team. Pritchard possesses an incredible burst of pace, limitless shooting range, handles that belong in a computer game, and is growing in his ability to create off the dribble – both for himself and for others.
Payton Pritchard sparked the Celtics 4th quarter run to hold off Detroit and @tvabby talked with him after the game ☘️
“For me, this whole year has just been about trying to not get down. It’s frustrating to stay with your work and I looked at it as a way I can get better. Between off-days, game days, just keep working hard, and then your moment will eventually come,” Pritchard said following the Pistons game, “It’s definitely a good feeling just to get a win, to contribute like that. For me, in the role, I’m in and some of the guys coming off the bench, you’ve gotta find different ways to affect the game. It’s not always going to be with scoring. You gotta get stops. And for me, it’s just finding little ways that I can contribute.”
Pritchard has participated in 50 games this season, starting two of them and averaging 12.3 minutes per contest. During those games, the six-foot-one guard is averaging 4.7 points, 1.7 assists, and 1.6 rebounds per game, but it’s becoming increasingly clear he’s capable of far more when provided the opportunity.
You have to wonder if a performance like the one against the Pistons is going to force Udoka’s hand into expanding his rotation to give the young sharpshooter the developmental minutes he deserves. Only time will tell.