NBA – The Celtics replacement point guard, who asked to leave last year, saw his playing time increase this season.
« In the end, it’s always been the same thing. I wanted to be able to play every game. And sweat on the pitch. » Payton Pritchardwhich expresses itself today at The Athletic, had expressed the same idea, in other words, last year. In February, at the time of the “trade deadline”, he openly demanded his transfer.
In the end, he didn’t move. “ Luckily, on this team this year, I feel like I have a role to play in helping the team win. » His minutes prove it. While his playing time had decreased year after year since his rookie season, the replacement leader now has the most playing time in his career with 21 minutes on average.
Looking back, he believes he needed this difficult period by playing less. His playing time dropped even further in the playoffs with less than six minutes on average and partial appearances.
A sure bet with the ball in hand
« We see a lot of guys who stop playing, who break down mentally and who are no longer in the league because of that. That’s why I don’t let myself get discouraged. We need good people around to get through difficult times », Testifies the 26-year-old player, who cites Celtics assistant Aaron Miles among his supporters.
With address percentages (42% including 37% from distance) comparable to his previous years, Payton Pritchard brings a real boost to the Celtics coming from the bench. And losing a minimum of balls: he has the 6th best assists/turnovers ratio in the league, among players mobilized at least 20 minutes per match.
This new season behind Jrue Holiday, after having evolved behind Marcus Smart and Malcolm Brogdon, both transferred during the offseason, has the air of rebirth. “ My role, my responsibility – of course, I have to take shots and all that – is to distribute the ball to the right people, make the right choice and not lose the ball. I’m proud of that because it helps our team.
»
Work to achieve more
The leader recalls that with the arrivals of Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen, the Celtics have no shortage of stars.
« That doesn’t mean I, Sam (Hauser) and the other “role players”, we are not working to do more in the future, but we just understand what the team needs to do to succeed. The stars sacrificed themselves too. Each of them made sacrifices to help the team improve. »
The player himself, who averages almost 8 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists per game, continues to improve and Joe Mazzulla sees this clearly.
His coach believes that beyond his external skills, he now contributes in other sectors, defensive rebounding or defense. “ He’s becoming a complete role player and it’s good to see him grow », notes the coach.
So much so that today he has the feeling of being “ rewarded because we win, we take first place and we try to win the title and I contribute to that. So this feeling is gratifying: being part of a winning team and participating in it. […] Mentally, not playing can put you in a difficult situation as a competitor who plays all the time. Ultimately, it can make you better or worse. »
In his case, the first option.
Payton Pritchard Percentage Rebounds Season Team MJ Min Shots 3pts LF Off Def Tot Pd Fte Int Bp Ct Pts 2020-21 BOS 66 19 44.0 41.1 88.9 0.5 1.9 2.4 1.8 1.6 0.6 0.8 0.1 7.7 2021-22 BOS 71 14 42.9 41.2 100.0 0.5 1.4 1.9 2.0 0.9 0.4 0.6 0.1 6.2 2022-23 BOS 48 13 41.2 36.4 75.0 0.5 1.3 1.8 1.3 0.8 0.3 0.8 0.0 5.6 2023-24 BOS 50 21 42.0 36.8 80.6 0 .9 2.2 3.1 2.9 1.3 0.4 0.6 0.1 7.8 Total 235 17 42.7 39.2 86.4 0.6 1.7 2.3 2.0 1.1 0.4 0.7 0.1 6.9
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
2024-02-07 17:49:45
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