Consider Payton Pritchard up to the task.
With nearly one-third of the regular season complete, Pritchard is on track to win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award. Always an electric three-point shooter, Pritchard has rounded out his game and become one of Boston's most important players.
And to think only two seasons ago, Pritchard was an underused guard who could have easily moved on from the Celtics to possibly greener pastures.
Pritchard enjoying career year
Back in the 2022-23 season, Pritchard suffered through a season riding the pine, to put it with blunt respect. The Celtics were a guard-heavy team and Pritchard was the odd player out. Pritchard played in 137 during his first two seasons, poised to become an integral part of the rotation in season three.
Instead, Pritchard posted career lows in minutes (13.4/game), points (5.6), and games (48).
After the completion of that season, it was understandable if Pritchard moved on or found a better opportunity. Thankfully, the young guard stuck things out and is now an NBA champion. Even better? Pritchard was a key contributor who played in all 82 regular season games and helped the Boston Celtics win banner no. 18.
Now in season number five, Pritchard is having a career year, averaging career-bests in points (16.5), minutes (28.7), three-point percentage (43.5), and field goal percentage (48.5).
Pritchard is also averaging 3.6 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and one steal per game.
Even with the occasional day off for the usual starting five, Pritchard has come off the bench in every game this season. The Boston Celtics and head coach Joe Mazzulla do not appear to want to mess with a winning formula so far this season.
Pritchard has scored 20 or more points in six of Boston's last nine games. In a recent victory over Washington, Pritchard had 15 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists. Consistent play has also seen Pritchard finish with games of 27 points and 10 rebounds (victory over Detroit Pistons), 29 points and seven rebounds (victory over Chicago Bulls), and an early-season victory over the Milwaukee Bucks where he knocked down eight three-pointers.
Over the last three games, Pritchard is 18 of 36 on three-point attempts. A number Pritchard and the Celtics look to keep up as December marches on.
Boston Celtics upcoming games
At 21-5, the Celtics own the second-best record in the league and Eastern Conference, trailing the Cleveland Cavaliers by one game. The two teams have split their two meetings this season and all five of Boston's losses are by six points or less.
Boston has a nice rest period early this week before playing four games in the span of a week, starting with a home (12/19) and away (12/21) with the Chicago Bulls.
In their only meeting so far in '24-25, the Celtics defeated the Bulls 138-129. The game was tied through three quarters before Boston pulled away behind Jayson Tatum, who finished with 35 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.
Another road game follows up the Chicago games, with Boston traveling to Florida to face the Orlando Magic on 12/23. This will be Boston's first game this season against Orlando, who is currently 17-11. In 2023-24, the Celtics won two of three from the Magic.
Christmas Day is the big one the upcoming stretch of games, though the matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers does not appear to be as sexy as it once was. The Sixers struggled to a 7-16 start thanks to injuries and internal strife.
Joel Embiid has played in only six games this season and a recent sinus fracture will cause him to be out at least one week. Embiid playing obviously makes this game a featured one. Even if he is out, the rivalry with these franchises runs deep and the game should be an entertaining one.
Either way, the Celtics are winning a variety of ways this season. Jayson Tatum has up leveled his game yet again. Jaylen Brown and Derrick White are among the others who have done the same. The biggest jump belongs to Pritchard. And if he continues to develop, produce, and entertain, the Celtics will remain the odds-on favorite to hang yet another banner in the rafters.
image credit: Wikimedia Commons
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