In the Boston Celtics’ first preseason game, Payton Pritchard scored 21 points in a 107-103 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Pritchard came off the bench and played 24 minutes. The guard took full advantage of the playing time, pouring down 6 threes on 12 attempts. With his hot three-point shooting, Payton Pritchard propelled the Celtics to a win in Abu Dhabi. Payton Pritchard’s impressive performance has many Celtics fans raving over how much he can contribute in the upcoming NBA season, where the Celtics will try to defend their title.
Payton Pritchard’s Role with the Celtics
In his four seasons with the Boston Celtics, Payton Pritchard’s role on the team has not changed significantly, but the number of minutes he plays has. Pritchard has always been someone who can score off the bench but throughout his career in Boston, the guard depth has changed, affecting his playing time.
In his rookie season, Pritchard played in 66 games, averaging 19.2 minutes. But, over the next two seasons, the Celtics added Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon to a backcourt that already had Marcus Smart. This caused Pritchard’s playing time to decrease to the point where when playoffs came, he was nearly out of the rotation entirely. He even went as far as requesting a trade from the Celtics.
But things took a turn for Payton Pritchard in the 2023 offseason. The Celtics traded Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon and added Jrue Holiday. With Holiday slotted into the starting lineup, this opened the backup guard position for Pritchard to fill. Pritchard did so by having his best season yet. Getting the most playing time in his career, he averaged 9.6 points per game, shooting 38.5% from three.
Payton Pritchard also got significant minutes in the 2024 playoffs. In the playoffs, he averaged 6.4 points per game and shot 38.3% from three. These numbers were down in comparison to the regular season, but Pritchard made up for that by doing the spectacular. In the NBA Finals, Pritchard hit multiple buzzer-beating half-court shots. The biggest one came in Game 5, where Pritchard nailed a half-court buzzer-beater to end the first half, causing the TD Garden to erupt.
Payton Pritchard’s Performance
Payton Pritchard’s performance in the Celtics’ first preseason game, leading the team with 21 points, 6 threes, and 6 assists has Boston fans feeling optimistic. He was hot from three, and not just catch and shoot three-pointers, but also step-backs and threes in transition. It is only a preseason game, but Pritchard has had big games for the Celtics before when he’s gotten the minutes. These games have typically come towards the end of the season when the Celtics have their playoff seeding locked up and can afford to start Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and others.
While games like this from Pritchard may not get him a starting spot over Derrick White or Jrue Holiday, they can certainly secure him in his role. In the offseason, the Celtics added Lonnie Walker IV and drafted Baylor Scheierman, who can both contribute with scoring off the bench. These players are not likely to play over Payton Pritchard, who has established his role in Boston but could cut into his minutes. So, if Pritchard can keep playing well and impress coaches and fans, then his role will remain and maybe increase in the new season.
Final Thoughts
Payton Pritchard put together an excellent performance in the Boston Celtics’ preseason opener. He was on fire from beyond the arc, shooting 6/12 from three to help the Celtics defeat the Denver Nuggets 107-103. The Celtics play Denver again on October 6th for their final game in Abu Dhabi, before continuing with the remainder of the preseason. So, Boston fans will not have to wait long to see if Pritchard can light it up again.
