Celtics fans have long heard about Payton Pritchard’s legendarily grueling summer workouts, where he would hire college players and overseas pros to come defend him one-on-one. Well, now the rest of the world is finding out, as Pritchard was the subject of an ESPN feature by Hallie Grossman on Monday, chronicling his intense commitment.
The article specifically talked about how hard he works, playing one-on-one, with one former coach saying the only other comp he had seen was Kyrie Irving. The piece talked about how Payton has honed his skills from an early age, knowing that he was undersized and would have to overcome that to succeed in the NBA.
Pritchard has become an elite iso scorer in the NBA
The work has clearly paid off, as Payton has become one of the best isolation scorers in the league, up there in most iso efficiency stats with the likes of Kevin Durant and Luka Doncic. But Pritchard obviously isn’t on the level of those guys, and while he almost certainly never will be, the Celtics need him to get closer.
Some of that is on Pritchard, but a lot of it also falls at the feet of the team. In recent years, we’ve seen Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown exit the backcourt, paving the way for Pritchard to truly break out this season. Not break out like a Sixth-Man microwave scorer, which he has already proven capable of. Break out like a second or third option who can be relied upon for 20+ points a night.
That may sound like a lofty ambition, but that’s what the Celtics need, and it’s not like Pritchard isn’t capable. Boston has a deep roster this season, but they don’t have anyone other than Jayson Tatum who can truly pressure the rim, beat his man off the dribble, and create for himself and others.
Celtics need more of Pritchard getting into the lane
That’s where Pritchard comes in. He has the skill set to do it and can be a perfect complementary option next to Tatum. With those two pressuring the basket and forcing defenses into rotation, the floor should open up for all of the shooters, and this offense should hit another level.
So far, for whatever reason, we haven’t really seen it. Pritchard played just 27 minutes off the bench in game one, and he was an afterthought against the Knicks, scoring just 4 points on 5 shot attempts. In years past, the Celtics have had enough talent and other options to overcome that, but that’s no longer the case.
Pritchard has been elevated in a way that he needs to emerge as a focal point in the offense on a nightly basis. Maybe that means he has to start. Maybe it just means he has to be more involved when he comes off the bench. Either way, it has to be a point of emphasis, because for this group to be able to hit their ceiling and have a chance in the playoffs, they need to get Pritchard to another level.
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