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Boston Celtics: Pros and cons of Payton Pritchard earning a starting role

By Nathanael Rutherford

INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 29: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics brings the ball up court during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 29, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, IN - DECEMBER 29: Payton Pritchard #11 of the Boston Celtics brings the ball up court during the game against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 29, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports
Boston Celtics Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports /

Pro: Pritchard adds a different dimension

Thanks in large part to Pritchard’s contributions, the Boston Celtics have become one of the best three-point shooting teams in the NBA this season.

Boston is connecting on 40.2% of their threes so far this year, which ranks fourth in the league. That’s the highest three-point shooting percentage ranking for the team since they finished second in the league with a 37.7% clip in the 2017-18 season.

The Celtics have improved so much from last season; they made just 36.4% of their threes last season but have improved to 13th in the NBA this year because of the added presence of Pritchard along the perimeter.

The rookie is making 42.1% of his threes through eight games.

It’s not beginner’s luck at this point.

Jeff Teague has only been shooting one or two three-pointers a game, which leaves Semi Ojeleye, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown as the only other C’s players with better shooting numbers from three right now.

Granted, Marcus Smart has been shooting better from distance so far this season, but that looks like an outlier given his track record before this season. Smart was never an exceptional 3-point shooter in college at Oklahoma State, either.

Pritchard, on the other hand, was a career 38% three-point shooter at Oregon and twice finished a season with a three-point shooting percentage of better than 41% for the Ducks. In fact, Pritchard finished his Oregon career with the second-most made three-pointers (288) in a Ducks career.

Smart hasn’t shown himself to be a reliable three-point shooter in his career, and Teague doesn’t shoot enough from distance to be a true, consistent weapon there. Pritchard has a proven track record of being a quality shot taker from the perimeter, and his presence on the outside makes Boston’s offense more dynamic and dangerous.

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