MIAMI — Even when Payton Pritchard didn’t get consistent playing time earlier in his career, he still earned respect from his teammates. That’s natural considering all the work Pritchard put in behind the scenes as he stayed prepared even when the minutes weren’t coming.
Fast forward to now, Pritchard is a crucial member of the Celtics. In all three playoff games thus far, he’s been the first reserve off the bench, alongside Al Horford, checking in at the midway point of the first quarter. It’s a huge opportunity for the fourth-year guard, and he’s made the most of it thus far. In the blowout Game 3 win Saturday, Pritchard has his fingerprints on the victory as he was once again a spark plug.
Pritchard finished with seven points and three rebounds in his 25 minutes. Notably, he made some high-energy plays as he also picked up two offensive rebounds. So there’s no denying Pritchard’s confidence — it’s even an area Jayson Tatum clearly respects.
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“Payton is one of the most confident guys I’ve ever been around,” Tatum said. “Any given moment, he walks out there like he’s the best player. To have that confidence is special and we need him to be like that: being aggressive on both ends, being able to attack closeouts and create his own shot, create for others. And to have that off the bench is special.”
It’s no surprise Pritchard’s teammates love what he brings to the game. He enjoyed a productive season coming off the bench as a consistent rotation player, and that was seen in his play. The shooting has been a weapon, but Pritchard has rounded out his game on both ends of the court. He’s also been one of the bench’s leaders as he excelled with extra opportunities down the stretch of the season.
Now, the Celtics will hope he can continue making an impact. He was held scoreless in Game 2, but Pritchard can turn it up at a moment’s notice. Otherwise, he can also affect the game in other ways, like with his defense and pressuring ball-handlers. And part of comes from his endless confidence, which his teammates see on a nightly basis.
“Payton, his energy has been fantastic for us all year,” Jaylen Brown said. “Just making shots, just making plays. Him getting on the glass. Payton is a dawg. We look forward to him being able to make those plays down the line in the playoffs. But he did a great job tonight.”
