Why Payton Pritchard's historic Celtics milestone bodes effectively for 6MOY marketing campaign

Not like most of his teammates on Wednesday evening, Boston Celtics level guard Payton Pritchard did not mild up the Phoenix Suns. Nevertheless, he did simply sufficient within the 132-102 blowout win to perform one thing solely three different Celtics have.

After the primary quarter of Boston’s seventh consecutive win, Pritchard reached 1,000 factors off the bench for the 2024-25 season. Corridor of Famer Kevin McHale, NBA journeyman Ricky Davis, and present Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon are the one different former Inexperienced Teamers to attain the identical feat, per Celtics Stats.

McHale acquired two Sixth Man of the Yr awards 4 a long time in the past and Brogdon captured one throughout his solely season with the Celtics in 2023. Pritchard is hoping to observe of their footsteps, as he has the numbers to grow to be simply the fourth participant in franchise historical past to take house the John Havlicek Trophy.

May Payton Pritchard really win Sixth Man of the Yr?

Though Pritchard completed with seven factors off the pine and made simply three of his 10 makes an attempt from the sphere in Phoenix, these sorts of off nights are uncommon for the fifth-year Celtic. In truth, previous to Wednesday, he scored in double figures in six straight video games.

That helps clarify Pritchard’s monstrous numbers all through the 2024-25 marketing campaign. He is presently averaging a career-high 14.2 factors per sport whereas capturing a powerful 46.6% from the ground. The Oregon native can also be capturing a career-high 41.3% from deep regardless of his elevated 3-point quantity.

Talking of triples, Pritchard has netted a whopping 237 of them in 72 video games, sufficient for the fourth-most in a single season by a Celtic. The three guys forward of him are all starters, together with Celtics guard Derrick White, who’s now 5 triples shy of breaking the franchise report.

In comparison with the remainder of the NBA, Pritchard has the fifth-most 3-point makes as of Thursday. Each individual in entrance of him has tried not less than 625 triples, whereas he is solely at 574 pictures from past the arc. Merely put, Pritchard is having a historic season that will culminate within the final recognition for a bench participant.

The largest menace to his Sixth Man of the Yr marketing campaign is arguably Detroit Pistons sharp-shooter Malik Beasley. The primary-year Piston is averaging 16.2 factors per outing and capturing a stellar 42.1% from 3-point land.

But, Pritchard has the benefit in blocks, rebounds (regardless of being 6-foot-1), assists, and total discipline aim share. And, maybe most significantly, the Celtics standout has solely began one sport out of his 72 appearances. In the meantime, Beasley is as much as 15 begins in 73 video games.

After scorching the Pistons with 27 factors in a mid-December drubbing, Pritchard instructed the media he is not dwelling or dying by his push for Sixth Man of the Yr. That does not imply the reigning NBA champion would not like to win it, although.

“It’s not one thing I actually take into consideration,” he stated of the award. “If I am lucky sufficient to win, I assume [it’s] a testomony to the laborious work I put in. It simply implies that I’ve helped my workforce coming off the bench and I am doing my job at a excessive stage…If I win or do not win, it is not make or break for me. I am gonna proceed with what I am doing. However yeah, it would be an honor.”

No matter whether or not or not Pritchard earns some {hardware}, the 54-19 Celtics are targeted on a much bigger trophy. The C’s already seized their 18th Larry O’Brien in franchise historical past final season, however they’re hoping to grow to be the primary back-to-back champions because the Golden State Warriors seven years in the past.

Pritchard, who was as soon as an afterthought in Beantown, is now important to the Celtics’ quest for basketball domination.