The last box to check for Boston Celtics is leaving egos at the door

The Boston Celtics are currently on a four-game winning streak, and they are ready for a huge matchup against the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night. The Cs have the best record in the NBA, and they have checked off multiple boxes needed to win a championship as they have a great record against teams above .500, and they have the depth.

One box still left to check is the player’s ego and the ability to sacrifice for the greater good.

Before the trade deadline, Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard created unnecessary headaches for the Celtics due to their demands. Williams, who is averaging eight points and four rebounds per game in a contract year, has let his contract talks be known throughout the season. After turning down an extension offer from the Celtics before the season, Williams’s camp continues to float out what money he will demand after the season.

The same is true for Payton Pritchard, who was unafraid to voice his complaints before the NBA trade deadline. Pritchard voiced complaints regarding his role/playing time and his desire to be traded. In a season where Pritchard is averaging 12.7 minutes per game, his complaints have grown.

Following the trade deadline, Pritchard had to retract his previous statements as he declared his “love” for the Boston Celtics organization. My concerns lie in the fact that Pritchard and Williams have shown their egos this season, and I question where their head is at. This situation reminds me of the 2018-2019 season when role players like Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris struggled to accept their roles — leading to friction and poor chemistry.

The responsibility of handling these egos is on head coach Joe Mazzulla who has voiced his support of Pritchard’s comments. I find this concerning because the main goal of every player should be to win a championship, not to have good statistics or playing time. Mazzulla needs to manage the egos of his players and keep them focused on the main goal.

The Boston Celtics young guns must focus on the team’s goals

Moving forward, Pritchard and Williams need to block out the ego stuff and focus on basketball. Pritchard’s performance against the Memphis Grizzlies, where he had four 3-pointers was a great example of him just focusing on basketball.

Williams and Pritchard should understand that by being a good role player on a championship team, they will have the ability to get paid well on the open market as well as more playing time.

The situation with Pritchard and Williams is one to monitor as the Boston Celtics pursue Banner 18.