Payton Pritchard is set to become the Celtics’ number 2 offensive option this season, a massive jump for a guy who started last year as a starter, then got shuffled to the bench in February.
Joe Mazzulla Needs to Unleash the Tatum-Pritchard Connection
Seriously, Joe Mazzulla has to get this man back in the starting five. The argument for it is just too strong, especially when you look at the numbers. Sure, Paul George and Derrick White are solid scorers, but the author makes a strong case that neither of them has Pritchard’s offensive ceiling right now. The biggest thing? Tatum and Pritchard on the floor together. That combo is pure magic, and maximizing their shared minutes should be priority number one. Over the past three seasons, the Celtics’ offensive rating with just Tatum on the court sat at 121.2. With just Pritchard? A respectable 122.2. But when those two dudes share the floor, Boston’s offensive rating skyrockets to a dominant 125! Jaylen Brown is gone, and that’s not a diss at Brown, but the opportunity for Pritchard to truly break out next to Tatum is staring everyone in the face. Tatum is a better screener, passer, and catch-and-shooter than Brown, and those three things are exactly what Pritchard needs to put up huge numbers.
Pritchard’s Isolation Game and Elite Shotmaking Are Ready for More
Beyond the Tatum connection, Pritchard’s individual game screams “second leading scorer.” His isolation game is no joke. The dude’s handle is so tight, defenders can barely sniff the ball, and he’s so quick it’s a nightmare to stay in front of him. When he’s got space, his pull-up and step-back jumpers are absolutely elite. He’s got every scoring option in his arsenal in isolation, making him incredibly tough to guard. You know what’s wild? His usage percentage has never been above 22.7% and has never cracked the 35th percentile in the NBA. That’s criminal, especially when you consider what he can do! Last year, Derrick White, as the number 2 option, looked like he ran out of gas, struggling to hit a shot in the playoffs. It’s time for Mazzulla to shift some of that workload to Pritchard. He’s also an elite catch-and-shoot three-point shooter, hitting 42% on those shots last year. That catch-and-shoot ability is a huge reason he’s been so effective sharing the floor with Tatum.
This season, Pritchard has a real chance to explode. While his scoring is clearly ready for a bigger role, the author wants to see his passing take a leap too. He did average a career-high 5.2 assists per game last year, assisting on 23.3% of teammates’ baskets. Imagine if he levels that up even more while becoming the second scoring punch. That’s a scary thought for the rest of the league, and the Celtics are going to be a must-watch to see him reach that potential.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
Leave a Reply