Payton Pritchard on working to be the Celtics’ best defender, quitting alcohol, and why he never flops

Payton Pritchard has his meal regiment on lock.

Oatmeal, bacon, and a protein shake in the morning. Noodles with chicken — in olive oil — for his pregame meal.

And, zero alcohol during the NBA season: “That’s been easy.”

All of it was part of an intentional decision made by the backup guard to be as impactful as possible ahead of the NBA season, as the Celtics prepared for their title defense.

“For me, it’s like – I feel like I’m gonna have a good opportunity this year to help the team grow a little bit,” Pritchard told CelticsBlog last week. “So, how can I maximize everything?”

He didn’t know he was going to be the frontrunner in the Sixth Man of the Year race. In fact, winning the award that he now appears to be a shoo-in for wasn’t even a goal. And, he had no clue he’d break the NBA record for most three-pointers off the bench in a season — a record he set on Saturday night against the Brooklyn Nets, with 14 games still left to play this year.

All of his aspirations were self-driven — skills he knew would positively impact the Celtics’ chances of winning.

“Can I increase shooting off the dribble? Can I increase my playmaking? Can I get more steals?” Pritchard said. “Stuff like that, I can personally affect.”

The results have been undeniable.

The 5’11 guard is averaging 14.1 points per game this season, up from 9.6 last year. He has the second-highest TS% on the Celtics, and the second-highest effective field goal percentage (trailing only Luke Kornet, who shoots 97% of his shots from less than 10 feet).

Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images

As his scoring has increased, his playmaking has continued to be as reliable as ever. Among players averaging at least 25 minutes, only Chris Paul, Tyrese Haliburton, Jimmy Butler III, and Fred Van Fleet have a better assist-to-turnover ratio.

Pritchard is far from satisfied, constantly finding new ways to improve his game.

That’s what’s gotten him where he is today.

“His competitive nature and work ethic is unreal,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said.

In the background, Pritchard is working on improving his floater, a shot that he has not displayed in his arsenal: “It’s not necessarily needed for what we need right now, but when the time comes… I’ll be ready to take those shots.”

Quest to become the Celtics’ best defender

Above all, there’s the defensive aspirations. Once viewed as a liability, Pritchard is set on not just being an elite defender for the Celtics’ — but becoming the Celtics’ top defender.

“Eventually, I want to get to [be] somebody that — I guard the other team’s best players,” he said.

When the Celtics faced the Thunder last week, the big defensive question centered around slowing down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Jaylen Brown got the primary defensive assignment on the MVP candidate, but couldn’t find a way to contain him. Jrue Holiday has admittedly struggled against the shifty guard as well.

But, when SGA hunted Pritchard defensively, Pritchard was able to hold his own.

He’s guarded the Thunder superstar for just over 5 minutes this season, holding him to 6 points on 2-5 shooting, and forcing 3 turnovers.

It’s a small sample size, but the analytics suggest he did a good job. And, most importantly, when he does switch onto a star, it’s something he embraces as a great opportunity, rather than a moment he shies away from.

“His ability to want to take on great matchups has been big for us,” Mazzulla said.

In fact, Pritchard has relentlessly studied opposing players’ tendencies, diving into what slows down basketball’s greatest scorers.

“You’re never gonna stop a great player,” he said. “If somebody’s guarding me, I never feel like somebody’s gonna just shut me down. It’s just more about, how can you force them into tougher shots, and maybe force a couple of turnovers here and there. But, the reason they’re that great is because they’re capable of scoring at a high level.”

Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images

Pritchard knows that defensive questions have surrounded him throughout his professional career. But, he insists that the doubts around his ability to defend can be attributed to his appearance more than anything.

“People like to say that sometimes — maybe not as much anymore — but that I used to be a defensive liability,” he said. “But I feel like that was maybe because they looked at the height, and maybe the color of my skin a little bit. So they think I’m a target.”

Pritchard will often hound opposing teams’ guards full-court. He’s embraced all the difficult match-ups, and noted Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell as one he enjoys being tasked with.

“I just try to make things tough,” he said. “And I feel like defensively, on ball, I think I’m very good… I can move my feet well, and take bumps and I’m just gonna keep getting better and better and better at it.

Joe Mazzulla has praised Pritchard’s growth on the defensive end, and, in particular, how much he’s improved as an off-ball defender — something that’s hard to quantify analytically. That growth has allowed him to stay on the court even when his shot’s not falling, though he’s faced very few shooting struggles this season.

“As much versatility as he has in the offensive end, he really takes pride in developing on the defensive end,” said the Celtics head coach.

When I spoke to Pritchard, I asked him just how much he valued the chance to guard superstars in brief stints, knowing that he’s not the primary guy the coaching staff assigns to those players from the jump.

“I do want to get to that point where I am that guy,” he said firmly. “That is a goal.”

Payton Pritchard doesn’t know how to flop

There’s another area of potential personal growth that Pritchard has identified: flopping.

He smiled when asked about his self-proclaimed inability to flop.

“I just don’t,” he said.

A big part of why he rarely attempts to draw fouls or oversell contact is a recognition that in his current role, his opportunities to drive to the basket are few and far between.

“When you have the ball in your hands more, and when you’re driving a lot more, and you have a lot more of those attempts, then you start to learn when to draw a foul better,” he explained.

Right now, Pritchard attempts less than two shots a game at the rim, and he’s shooting 75.3% on those attempts — 9% above league average.

“I’m not gonna take a chance to flop and not get a call. But if you have the ball a lot, you can use those and figure out the right time [to flop], if somebody’s hands are in there.”

He pointed to Gilgeous-Alexander, who drew a game-high 11 free throws against the Celtics and has established a reputation as one of the league’s top free-throw getters. In last week’s game, SGA looked to draw a foul on a turnaround fadeaway in the fourth quarter with Pritchard guarding him, but didn’t get the call.

For Pritchard, those types of plays serve as a reminder of why he doesn’t currently prioritize seeking out contact.

“Look at Shai. Like, he got some calls, but then he also didn’t get some calls. He tried to flop right? If you’re a role player and you do that, that don’t look too good. It’s like, you don’t get a call on that…” he trailed off.

The Sixth Man of the Year award

Right now, the Celtics guard is by far the frontrunner for the award, with the Pistons’ Malik Beasley and the Cavaliers’ De’Andre Hunter lagging in all betting odds.

Still, he’s made a concerted effort not to worry about where he stands in the ever-changing race.

“Because then it can eat you up,” he said. “Like, bad game, you’re thinking about it. Good game, you’re like ohhh. So I don’t ever try to think about it. For me, it’s always looking at self-improvement: how can I keep getting better and better?”

Part of what’s made Pritchard’s role difficult is how much his opportunities have fluctuated depending on who’s in the lineup on that given night. Earlier this month, against the Trail Blazers, he exploded for a career-high 43 points. Three nights later, he attempted just 5 shots in a Celtics win against the Lakers.

In December, with the Celtics down several players, he averaged 12.3 shots per game. The next month, with Kristaps Porzingis and others back in the lineup, his shot attempts were slashed to 8.1 a night.

He’s embraced the ever-changing opportunity.

“It takes a special person to fulfill that role,” Mazzulla said. “And he takes pride and does it every day.”

This year, Pritchard has scored 20+ points this season in 20 games, coming off the bench for every single one. He’s averaging a career-high in rebounds, assists, steals, field goal percentage, and three-point percentage.

His teammates have routinely lobbied for him to win the award: “He’s got to be Sixth Man of the Year,” Jayson Tatum said on TNT after Pritchard his 8 three-pointers in a February win over the 76ers.

Pritchard is focused on the bigger picture: continuing to improve as defender, diversifying his shot profile, helping the Celtics win another title.

“We’re all human. I’m not gonna say I wouldn’t be grateful to win it,” he said. “I don’t want to not win it.”

“It’s out of my control. I know my play. I can control that.”