Payton Pritchard proved a point with way he ended Boston Celtics season

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard sent a message to the entire organization with the way he closed out the 2022-23 regular season

In the final two regular season contests before the postseason, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard made the most of the opportunity the coaching staff provided him. For the former Oregon guard, this campaign has not been the easiest for him. Coming off a season in which Pritchard played a part in 71 regular season contests and 24 games in the postseason, No. 11 had his eyes on taking another step forward with the organization that drafted him.

Brad Stevens’ ambition to take his ball club to the next level following the NBA Finals loss prevented what was looked at as a breakthrough campaign for the promising young point guard. Pritchard’s role has diminished exponentially under Joe Mazzulla. He has played in just 47 games throughout the 2022/23 campaign, and despite rumors of movement at the deadline, Pritchard stayed put.

None of this adversity prevented him from showing the NBA, and the Boston Celtics organization exactly what he is capable of on a consistent basis.

Mazzulla gave full credit to Pritchard for how he has handled this season:

"“The way his career has gone as far as playing time and not playing time, he’s always handled it the right way…He has a competitiveness, a professionalism and work ethic about him.”"

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Pritchard combined to go 13/24 from beyond the arc while totaling 55 points in his final 68 minutes on the floor for Boston ahead of the playoffs. Not once has he complained about being in the situation he is currently in with one of the league’s best teams. Pritchard has dealt every bit of this campaign with class and dignity.

This role in Boston is not one that will allow him to reach his potential as an NBA player. While it was quite obvious he was frustrated with the minutes he was receiving, has was always ready when the coaching staff called his number at any point in a game. Only Larry Bird and John Havlicek were able to do what Pritchard did to close out the regular season, continuing to make the inevitable decision of letting him go in the offseason even more difficult. When Pritchard eventually does take his talents elsewhere, the record books of one of the most storied franchises in league history will have his name written in it.

Payton Pritchard showed without a doubt that his time with Boston Celtics is more than likely over

Teams across the league should have been watching because Pritchard demonstrated he has the makings of a more than above average rotational player who can run a halfcourt offense with relative ease. No. 11 has shown it in spurts, but in the final two games of the 2022/23 regular season, he put on a clinic with his eyes on a role that provides him more than 25 minutes per game. In what is most likely is last two contests playing significant minutes in green, he said farewell in a way that Boston fans will never forget.

His humility off the court allow him to be the tremendous player he is on it. Anyone at any level of basketball sitting on the bench always has their eyes set on playing more. For someone to know they will not get the minutes they deserve and still be ready takes a special individual. His play-making and three-point barrage made it quite clear he has every intention of moving on from the team following the playoff run. He is someone that accepts challenges, and takes them head on. That is a player that anyone across the NBA would want. Boston is unfortunately only the first step in what will be many throughout Pritchard’s successful career in the association.