Reaping the Benefits

The Boston Celtics over the last two months have been prolific not only on the defensive end but on the offensive side of the ball. The second-year player and Oregon Duck product, Payton Pritchard has built himself into the Boston rotation with the playoffs almost upon the NBA. With the Celtics struggling to knock down shots at the beginning of the season, Pritchard has been the last puzzle piece to solving the issue.

Tatum and his playing-making ability have been the reason why Pritchard continues to show off his range as of late. He seemed to be fading out of the rotation, but when Brad Stevens dealt Dennis Schröder to the Houston Rockets, it opened up opportunities for the 24-year-old. The sharpshooter is sixteenth in the NBA in three-point percentage at 41.0% from beyond the arc.

Every game when he first checks in, he seems like he started right where he left off from the previous contest. The more efficient the ball movement is for the Celtics, the more open Pritchard is on the three-point arc, and recently that has been true. Even if the opposition forces the second-year player to put the ball on the floor, he has proven he has the elusiveness, and ability to create his own shot or find one for someone else.

Tatum is a threat everywhere on the floor, and teams have to double him on a consistent basis, leaving the sharp-shooter, Payton Pritchard wide open to add another three points on the board. Last week against the Jazz, Pritchard played defense as his life depended on it. While the Oregon product is only 6'1", he plays defense with heart, and intelligence, leading Boston on a fast break on the other end. There is no question that Udoka has to include Pritchard in the rotation during the postseason, and if his shooting streak continues, coaches are going to have a difficult time crafting a defensive game plan against Boston.

Last week after another great performance on the hardwood, head coach Ime Udoka spoke about Pritchard and his shooting, stating, "It’s huge...He’s obviously one of our best shooters. The trick for him was to learn to play off the ball more and understand that we have Marcus, Derek, Jayson, Jaylen that can all handle and create shots for him. At times, he’s a great screener and popper and he mixes it up and we bring some smaller matchups into it. So he’s done a great job of not just handling it but playing off the ball."

In the last 15 contests, Pritchard has been shooting 49.3% from the three-point line, but in the month of January, he was shooting 37.0% from downtown. When given the opportunity, Pritchard has taken it and then some. Boston's improved unselfish, motion-oriented offense is benefiting a guy that has the confidence to knock down any shot from anywhere on the floor. In November, Pritchard only played 6.4 minutes per game and Schröder participated in 33.2 minutes per contest.

The sharp-shooter has increased his minutes every single month in 2022, and every month, the Celtics continue to get better. In the month of March, Pritchard has the third-highest field goal percentage for players that have played 15 or more minutes per game. His 52.1% from the three in the third month of 2022 is first on the Celtics and fourth-highest in the NBA for players that have participated in 180 or more minutes in March. The only players ahead of Pritchard in this category are Kyrie Irving, Caleb Martin, and Bucks guard Jevon Carter.

Heading into a crucial part of the season where the Celtics' seed in the Eastern Conference will be determined, there are no signs that Pritchard will slow down. Boston has the best offensive rating in the NBA during March at 123.5, ahead of the Hornets and their high-powered offense. In the past three months, the Celtics have been in the top-10 in offensive rating, and have moved up in the rankings every single month.

Payton Pritchard has benefited the most from all the movements in the roster, and the elevation of Boston's offense. There are two years left on Pritchard's rookie contract where he makes a little over $10 million over four years. Given his impact over the past few months, and the potential he has with Tatum and Brown as teammates, the Celtics should consider giving him an extension.

Trying to stop the Celtics' offense at this moment in time is like trying to make your Grandmas' cookies without the flour, it just isn't going to happen. Pritchard provides the Celtics with a shooter that has been hard to come by over the past few years. Defenses need to be aware of Tatum and Brown as well as the shooters around the perimeter. A zone is no longer effective against Boston with Pritchard on the floor. A player that spent four years at the University of Oregon, and was overlooked because of his size, is now turning into the perfect player for Udoka and the Celtics.

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