Payton Pritchard makes more 3-point history in Celtics win over Nets
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard continues to be one of the NBA’s most productive — and historic — bench players. During Saturday’s 115-113 win over the Brooklyn Nets, Pritchard made history once again, as he sank his 219th three-pointer of the season, a new NBA record for a bench player in a single season.
“He just continues to get better and better. His competitive nature and work ethic is unreal. That’s an awesome thing. It takes a special person to fulfill that role,” said Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla about Pritchard (via Justin Turpin).
In a year when Pritchard could start in some NBA lineups, he has embraced his role as the Celtics’ sixth man. However, despite coming off the bench in every game, the 27-year-old has still averaged 14.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.4 assists. With the three being the true asset of his game, he’s shot 41.8 percent from beyond the arc throughout the season.
The Celtics have set themselves up in a great position with Pritchard. He continues to progress as a player, and the team has him on a team-friendly four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.5 million.
Meaning Boston will have an excellent guard in Pritchard for the longer-term, and as he continues to get better, he’s set himself up to be a potential future starter for the Celtics.
Luke Graham is a digital sports content co-op for 98.5 the Sports Hub. He is currently a sophomore at Northeastern University studying communications and media studies. Read all his articles here, and follow him on X @LukeGraham05.
