It has not been a simple season for Payton Pritchard. By his personal admission, it’s been irritating.
“Obviously people know it’s been an up and down year emotionally and obviously physically now,” he mentioned Sunday.
The fourth-year guard and 2020 first-round decide was buried on the Celtics’ depth chart, the fourth guard in line after the offseason addition of Malcolm Brogdon. His alternatives have been scarce, typically solely coming in rubbish time or when the C’s are shorthanded. Then during the last month got here an damage that price him 13 video games.
His time – at the least yet another in a Boston uniform – was nonetheless coming, although. Last Wednesday, the Celtics clinched the No. 2 seed within the Eastern Conference. The closing two regular-season video games grew to become principally meaningless because the Celtics prioritized resting their regulars. But not for Pritchard, who noticed it as one other alternative to show himself.
There remains to be discomfort in his injured heel, but it surely didn’t outweigh his want to play. As he’s completed all season, Pritchard took benefit of the chance – after which some. He scored 22 factors in Friday’s win over the Raptors. Then, in Sunday’s regular-season finale – with six Celtics regulars out of the lineup – Pritchard began and had a day to recollect. He recorded his first profession triple-double, ending with a career-high 30 factors, 14 rebounds and 11 assists to steer the Celtics to a 120-114 victory at TD Garden.
Pritchard joined two Celtics greats as the one gamers in franchise historical past to submit these numbers in a sport – Larry Bird and John Havlicek.
“Special crew to be a part of,” Prtichard mentioned. “Definitely feel honored, but you know, I just looked forward to these last two games as an opportunity to go out and play and show what I’m capable of, and that’s all that was on my mind.”
With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Brogdon all out Sunday, Pritchard had the chance he relished – with the ball in his fingers loads, making performs for others and capturing the lights out. His career-high 9 3-pointers led a long-range barrage for the Celtics, who drilled 25 3-pointers, tied for the third-most in a sport in franchise historical past. Their prime 4 single-game 3-point marks in crew historical past have all come this season.
Sam Hauser made a career-best eight 3-pointers – together with three within the first 90 seconds of the second half – as he scored 27 factors, whereas Mike Muscala added 27 factors with 4 3-pointers. Several of them got here by way of Pritchard, who clinched his triple-double within the fourth quarter, when he discovered rookie J.D. Davison for a 3. That sparked an enormous celebration on the Celtics bench, a gaggle that has fiercely supported him all through his tough season.
“The way his career has gone as far as playing time, not playing time, he’s always handled it the right way,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “And he has a competitiveness and a professionalism and a work ethic about him that you always trust, no matter when he goes in, he’s gonna be ready to play. And so I’m really happy for him and I have the utmost respect for him.”
Pritchard acquired a commemorative sport ball after his particular efficiency, however he didn’t wish to preserve it for himself. Instead, he gave it to assistant coach Aaron Miles.
“I’m not one to really keep that,” Pritchard mentioned. “I’d rather give it to people around me that have kind of stayed with me throughout the year.”
The season has been emotional and irritating for Pritchard – who has been vocal about his unhappiness along with his taking part in time – however he’s by no means taken away from the Celtics’ final objectives, he by no means used it as an excuse or let it hinder his work ethic. Behind the scenes, he continued to work onerous – perhaps even tougher than standard given his scenario – and has stayed prepared for moments like Sunday.
“I think any player, there’s going to be ups and downs, and I think every NBA player goes through it,” Pritchard mentioned. “But I think it’s through those down parts, how you approach it. A lot of it is frustrating. I went through a lot of frustrating times, but I always went back to the work and finding little areas to always keep getting better. And when I get opportunities like this, I try to show it and always just say, it’s from my work from a young age, and that’s all I go back to.”
Behind Pritchard, the Celtics completed the common season on an necessary excessive notice as they put together for the primary spherical of the playoffs that begins subsequent weekend. Mazzulla is blissful about the place they’re going into the postseason. The Celtics skilled a lull after the All-Star break which will have price them the No. 1 seed, however they’re hitting their stride now after profitable eight of their closing 11 video games of the common season.
Mazzulla mentioned he senses a motivation from his group and the way in which they ended the season was necessary.
“Guys are in a good place,” Mazzulla mentioned. “Our goal was to be a well-balanced team, and we finished top two or three in both offense and defense. And so we accomplished our goal of maintaining a competitive nature and a mindset about us. Achieved our goal of being a well-balanced team. And now we have to recreate just the mindset that we had last year, that we had coming into the season, and then we had throughout the season, to play at our best for as long as we possibly can.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com