Payton Pritchard, not the expected veterans, is who Celtics fans are calling their squad’s second leading scorer, a wild twist heading into opening night. Despite conventional wisdom pointing to seasoned guys like Derrick White and Paul George stepping up as the Robin to Jayson Tatum’s Batman, readers resoundingly voted for Pritchard to snag that number two spot behind JT. Talk about a surprise!
The People Have Spoken, And They’re Hyped for PP
Forget “just” thinking about White or George. One reader, ldrpr, hit it right on the head, saying they agreed with Pritchard being the likely choice. It’s not just that he’s a talented scorer, but the expectation is that George and White will focus more on being all-around, “contributes to winning” players than on purely putting up points. This opens the door wide open for Pritchard to shine as the designated bucket-getter. Coach Joe Mazzulla has been opting to start the more complementary Jordan Walsh in the preseason, sending Pritchard back to the bench in a familiar role. There’s no guarantee this setup sticks for October 21 against the Pistons, but for now, Pritchard is looking like the scoring engine for that second unit.
Depth Like You Wouldn’t Believe
Man, this Celtics squad is *deep*. We’re talking so deep that Mike Conley, who started fifteen games last year in Minnesota, might not even see the floor. Ron Harper Jr. signed a three-year contract over the summer, and he could be the odd man out. Luka Garza’s putting up fifteen points and six rebounds a night over the preseason, and that still might not be enough for him to get off the bench next week in Detroit. It really tells you something about the talent when the general sentiment from polls is that playing time and pecking order don’t even matter because “the vibes are good.” But still, that depth makes Pritchard’s potential rise even more impressive.
Championship Chasing From Day One
The Celtics’ preseason run has been straight fire, going 4-0. With Pritchard finding his rhythm in this designated scorer role, the hype is real. Our buddies at FanDuel are totally bullish on Boston, listing the Celtics at +1400 with the fifth highest odds to win a championship. They’re trailing some serious contenders like the Thunder (+240), Spurs (+270), Knicks (+1000), and Sixers (+1000), but that’s still elite company. Can Pritchard really step up as that consistent second option? We’ll start finding out on October 21 when they face the Pistons. Get ready, Boston, this season is going to be wild.
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.
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