Payton Pritchard's offense can't just be a luxury for Celtics anymore

For much of his career, Payton Pritchard has been an afterthought, coming off the bench for some loaded Celtics teams. He started his career playing behind Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart, then Derrick White, and then Jrue Holiday. Boston has always had two guards ahead of him who can run offense and score points, but that’s no longer the case.

When the team made their offseason moves, including shipping Holiday off to Portland, they were making a major investment in Pritchard. He was elevated to the starting lineup alongside White, with Anfernee Simons slotting into Payton’s old Sixth Man role.

Then, the Celtics shipped Simons out at the deadline and didn’t add another guard. Pritchard shifted back to a bench role and quickly regained his form as the best sixth man in the league. But through two playoff games, Pritchard hasn’t given the Celtics nearly the lift they’re used to getting.

In Game 1, they didn’t need him as much in a blowout win, so his 12 points on 2-9 three-point shooting weren’t a big issue. But in Game 2, his no-show was much more pronounced as the team struggled, scoring just 97 points in an ugly loss. Patyon had just 4 points on 2-8 shooting and 0-4 from three. That’s not going to cut it.

Celtics need Pritchard to be more consistent

In years past, this wouldn’t have been an issue. It always felt like Pritchard’s offense was a bonus, or an insurance policy. They had enough artillery to win without him, but when he had a big game, they were basically unbeatable.

That’s no longer the case. He’s an essential part of the team these days. He wanted a bigger role, and he got one. Now, he needs to step up and prove that he’s a reliable 16-game player. The physicality and intensity are elevated in the postseason, and the only knock on PP over the years has been his size.

He has the strength and toughness to overcome that, certainly, but it’s time to do it. He and White are the only guards on the team who get minutes, and they need to step up and help out Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, especially on the offensive end. 

PP is a core member of the Celtics and must play like it

Pritchard should be able to puncture this 76ers defense, get into the paint, score around the basket, and in the midrange like he has all year, and he needs to find his three-point shot. Sure, there are ebbs and flows to the playoffs, but these performances from a guy who’s now your third or fourth option simply aren’t good enough.

All of the offseason changes have worked out quite well for Boston, but the playoffs are a different animal. Giving Holiday’s role to Pritchard looked fine in the regular season, but now we’re watching Jrue step up and help the Blazers push the Spurs in round one, while Pritchard has been virtually nonexistent, and the Celtics are suddenly facing some adversity.

There’s still plenty of time for Pritch to turn things around. It’s not like he has to go out there and take over the game or drop 30 points. But he has to make his presence felt. He has to create offense and get to the basket. He has to create open shots. And he has to play with the competitive edge that got him to this point in the league. He has proven time and again that he’s up for the occasion. Now, he needs to step up and pass a new test.

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