Every true Celtics fan — and likely those rooting against the NBA’s most storied franchise, too — remembers Payton Pritchard’s buzzer-beating heave from beyond center court to close out the first half of last year’s title-clinching Game 5 Finals victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
For a player that swiftly became notorious for drilling improbable shots of the half-court variety throughout the 2023-24 campaign, it was simply the icing on the cake in Boston’s runaway triumph to championship glory.
But as monumental as that lengthy connection was — TD Garden was never louder throughout the playoff run than it was after that shot — it was also Pritchard’s most defining moment in an otherwise unremarkable 19-game postseason run. He played mere seconds in that decisive close-out tilt, attempting just the one shot.
On a whole, Pritchard saw an average of 18.7 minutes per playoff game, but his playing time dwindled as the stakes got higher. He put up just 6.4 points and 2.1 assists per contest while shooting an inefficient 41.9 percent.
In reality, as important as Pritchard was to Boston’s regular season success last year, he was virtually a non-factor for much of the playoffs.
This year, however, that’s not likely to be the case.
After posting career highs in points (14.3), rebounds (3.8), assists (3.5), steals (0.9), field goal percentage (47.2%), 3-point field goal percentage (40.7%) and made threes (255) in 80 games this past season, the NBA’s newest Sixth Man of the Year award winner stayed hot by dropping 19 points off the bench in Sunday’s playoff-opening, 103-86 victory over the Orlando Magic. He played 25 key minutes in the win, drilling four of his six attempts from beyond the arc.
With such a deep roster overall, Pritchard’s shot-making abilities and spark plug tendencies weren’t always needed during last year’s championship run.
But this spring, his consistency and reliability as a first-rate “back-up” guard make it hard to leave him off the floor.
Make no mistake: head coach Joe Mazzulla needs him to fill a big role, and the Celtics need him to remain confident as a scorer.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are understandably expected to lead the charge offensively on any given night. Opposing defenses know that, too, and will continue to throw everything they can at those guys to limit their damage.
They’re going to have off nights; that’s why Boston’s depth is so important, and Pritchard is near the top of that list.
Against Orlando — a big, physical, defensive-minded opponent capable of getting under Boston’s skin in one way or another — Pritchard can check in and be that fearless, calming presence off the bench. He may not be a world class defender like Derrick White or fellow starting guard Jrue Holiday, but he’s a pest, works his tail off on both ends and has yet to be viewed as a liability defensively.
Pritchard’s rise to NBA prominence is nothing short of remarkable. A late first round pick (No. 26) in the 2020 draft, the undersized (6-foot-1) Oregon product played somewhat sparingly over his first three years in the league.
But there were always flashes of brilliance in those early years, snippets that foreshadowed the type of talent he may one day blossom into. And in Year 5, he’s officially become the truly impactful player many thought he could be.
Pritchard is now a guy opposing defenses have to and will gameplan for on a nightly basis.
He’s almost certainly going to have complete performances that ring louder than any single half-court shot he cashed in on last season.
He’s a premier backcourt talent, and whether it’s in the first round against a feisty, “We don’t back down from anyone” Magic team, or further down the road vs. the East’s best, Boston is lucky to have him.
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Nick Giannino covers the Boston Celtics for CNHI Sports Boston. Contact him at NGiannino@nobmg.com and follow along on X/Twitter @NickGiannino_GT.