It’s plain that Payton Pritchard has been cooking with one thing somewhat stronger than canola oil. His minutes and effectivity are each up, his scoring is approach up, and the vibes are so up they’re blowing a gap by means of the ceiling and attaining escape velocity. Is all of this actual, and whether it is, what ought to we do with it?
Saturday night time’s conflict with the Charlotte Hornets gave us some extra knowledge to work with. He dropped 22 factors in 29 minutes, received scorching within the first half and cooled off within the second. It’s his fifth 15+ level efficiency of the season, and by a lot of counting stats, he ought to be the favourite to win Sixth Man of the Yr. Betting markets positive assume so.
However has Pritchard really grow to be a dynamic off-the-bench spark plug who may bail the Celtics out of sketchy conditions in huge video games? After mainly enjoying particular groups within the NBA Finals, has he carried out sufficient for a constant position come playoff time? It might not be such a easy “sure.”
Whereas it’s true that Pritchard is scoring rather a lot, he’s nonetheless a one-dimensional offensive participant. He’s feisty off the ball, however as soon as he will get it, he’s nonetheless a pure three-point specialist that has gotten criminally scorching 4 instances in seven video games. Out of 78 complete pictures this season, 66 of them have threes. That’s not a very fascinating shot food plan, however it’s virtually actually what the Celtics need him doing in Joe Mazzulla’s system.
And he’s knocking them down. Of all NBA gamers with at the very least 50 three-point makes an attempt this season, he’s first in capturing proportion at 44.9%. Any group would kill for that quantity off the bench, particularly at first rate quantity. With the Celtics asking different groups to protect 4 totally different good-to-great creators, rolling out a sniper to go with them is the maraschino cherry on the award-winning ice cream sundae from the Del Frisco’s dessert menu.
The outcomes have been there, however Pritchard’s drawback will probably be reproducing them when the Celtics really need it. He hasn’t achieved this superb 45% by means of a bunch of strong nights, however by means of being both scalding scorching or frigid from past the arc, with no in-between. Listed here are his first seven splits in chronological order:
11.1percent50.0percent71.4percent66.7percent36.4percent0.0percent50.0%
Capturing is a fickle artwork. With what number of of his pictures are threes, Pritchard will probably be extra inclined to the swings of variance than most different gamers in his tier. There’s a cause you reside by the three and die by the three. There isn’t any both/or in that enterprise.
Essentially, Pritchard lacks the additive expertise wanted to remain on the courtroom if his shot isn’t falling for anyone night time. He’s not a detrimental or disinterested defender, however lacks the bodily instruments to hold with most elite shot creators who will search and destroy Pritchard time and again.
Many iterations of this Celtics group have wanted Pritchard’s capturing on paper, however have been unable to maintain him on the market in the actual world. With pick-and-roll destroyers like Jimmy Butler and Donovan Mitchell lurking within the Japanese Convention and loads of assassins within the West, Pritchard’s limitations can solely be masked by a nuclear offensive outburst. Would the Celtics wager on that in a playoff sequence?
I’m undecided they’d. With everybody wholesome, Sam Hauser will probably stay the Celtics’ seventh man in most matchups, with a defensive means Pritchard merely lacks. If the Celtics lose somebody to harm, Pritchard is an efficient “break glass in case of emergency” creator who could make one thing occur off the dribble, his important leg up on Hauser. However when the off-the-dribble obligations are lined, Pritchard’s position could also be smaller than some will need.
Pritchard has proven a capability to enhance yr over yr, as since falling out of the rotation in 2022 he has carved out extra minutes, pictures and factors for himself whereas securing a brand new contract. That’s no small feat, and the Celtics will proceed to sculpt methods for him to make an influence; half-court pictures are solely the start.
Relying on how optimistic you might be, that is both the following step in Pritchard’s growth as an elite scoring sixth man or a wonderful aberration fueled by unsustainable three-point luck. However questioning if Pritchard goes to be a purposeful sixth man within the playoffs is an efficient drawback to have, and extra indicative of the Celtics’ embarrassment of riches than one thing Boston ought to really lose sleep over.
If he can play, nice. If he doesn’t have it, they’ll be superb. The problem will probably be determining which sport is which, and the Celtics have six months to learn the way. Positive, Pritchard’s begin to the season is likely to be a mirage, however one you may take info from and use it to get higher. Not a nasty deal. Not unhealthy in any respect.
