There’s no bench player impacting winning quite like Payton Pritchard.
On a Boston Celtics team that’s looked like a juggernaut all season, Pritchard has quietly been the engine that keeps the second unit humming. The numbers are eye-popping. The hustle is undeniable. And with the playoffs around the corner, the Sixth Man of the Year race feels over.
Vegas thinks so too: Pritchard is currently a -1500 favorite to win the award.
Source: Vegas Insider
Pritchard Sets the Celtics Tone Off the Bench
Pritchard hasn’t just played his role. He’s owned it. The Celtics guard has 1,019 points off the bench this season, making him just the third Celtic ever to score 1,000+ as a reserve—joining Kevin McHale (three times) and Ricky Davis.
He’s averaging 14.0 points per game on 47% shooting, 41% from three, and 75% at the rim. His assist-to-turnover ratio is among the NBA’s best, trailing only names like Chris Paul, Tyrese Haliburton, and Jimmy Butler.
But it goes beyond stats. When Boston’s starters sit, Pritchard doesn’t just hold the line—he extends the lead.
Pritchard Keeps Breaking Records for the Celtics
Pritchard now holds the NBA record for most three-pointers made off the bench in a season (236 and counting). He also has the second-most threes in a single season by any Celtic, passing Isaiah Thomas and trailing only Derrick White (258 and counting).
He leads the league in 20-point games with zero free-throw attempts and has grabbed 97 offensive rebounds—the most by any NBA player under 6’4.
He’s doing the work nobody sees. He’s doing all the little things that win games.
Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla Backs Pritchard’s 6MOY Campaign
Coach Joe Mazzulla knows exactly what Pritchard means to Boston:
“I think he’s one of the guys that has kept the standard the same, even when guys have been out, still coming off the bench… I hope he gets it.”
via Daniel Donabedian
Even when Tatum, Brown, or White miss time, the Celtics haven’t skipped a beat—because Pritchard hasn’t.
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Against Portland, Pritchard dropped 40 points and 10 threes, becoming part of the first duo (with Derrick White) in NBA history to each hit nine triples in a game. Not even Steph and Klay have done that.
He’s not just a shooter. He’s not just a guard. Pritchard is a weapon.
Why Pritchard Deserves Sixth Man of the Year
This isn’t about volume. It’s about impact.
Pritchard has become the blueprint for the modern sixth man: elite shooting, tough defense, secondary playmaking, and an edge that fits Boston’s culture perfectly.
He’s the Celtics’ stabilizer. Their momentum-shifter. Their energy guy who doesn’t need to talk loud to make noise.
And right now, this award has his name on it.
