Jrue Holiday strongly advocates for Payton Pritchard to win the Sixth Man of the Year award, declaring if he doesn’t, it would be “rigged.” Pritchard has excelled this season, breaking the NBA record for most 3-pointers off the bench. With 232 out of 236 3-pointers made from the bench, he also leads the NBA in bench points. Pritchard is on track to become the fourth Celtics player to score 1,000 points off the bench in a season and holds franchise records for 5-plus 3-pointers and games with 20+ points off the bench. Holiday praises his growth and competitiveness.
Holiday strongly advocates for Pritchard’s candidacy for Sixth Man of the Year, originally featured on NBC Sports Boston
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday firmly believes that Payton Pritchard deserves the Sixth Man of the Year title. If the John Havlicek trophy isn’t displayed at the Auerbach Center by early May, Holiday insists there’s something fishy going on.
“If he’s not Sixth Man of the Year, then this is rigged,” Holiday proclaimed.
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“My guy is breaking records … We really need him, and I think he’s come to understand how essential his contributions are to our team, especially in scoring, playmaking, and hitting clutch shots. It’s genuinely exciting to see his progress from last year to this year; the leaps he’s made are remarkable.”
Earlier this month, Pritchard set the NBA record for the most 3-pointers made off the bench in a single season. Following a spot start in his hometown of Portland on Sunday night, 232 of Pritchard’s 236 3-pointers this season have come from off the bench, surpassing Wayne Ellington’s former record of 218 bench 3s.
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Pritchard is also eyeing the Celtics’ single-season record for most 3-pointers made. He’s competing with teammates Jayson Tatum and Derrick White for the franchise record and may have an advantage if the two veterans are rested towards the end of the season after Tatum sprained his left ankle in Monday night’s win against Sacramento.
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Pritchard currently leads the NBA in bench points with 997. He is on track to become just the fourth player in Celtics history to score 1,000 points off the bench in a season, following Kevin McHale (who accomplished this three times), and Ricky Davis and Malcolm Brogdon (who each did it once).
Pritchard’s 22 games with 5 or more 3-pointers this season sets a franchise record. His 20 games scoring 20+ points off the bench leads the NBA this year. Earlier this month, he and White became the first duo in Celtics history to score 40 points each in a victory against the Portland Trail Blazers.
After early foul trouble limited his performance during his only start of the year in Portland on Sunday, Pritchard joked that he might be better suited coming off the bench.
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Holiday has thoroughly enjoyed watching Pritchard’s evolution as a player.
“We talked about it; I think his first points were against [Milwaukee] when I was with the Bucks. I believe it was a 3,” said Holiday, recalling that he was on the court when Pritchard sank a second-quarter triple for his first career points in his NBA debut on December 23, 2020.
“Witnessing his growth from even a time when he wasn’t getting much gameplay, you could see that everyone has potential. He kept working hard, and it’s clear he’s dedicated. Whether it’s off days or optional workouts, he’s always in the gym. He doesn’t take time off. He strives to be the best, and I think that speaks volumes. I believe he doesn’t just do it for himself; he does it for the team.”
Holiday doesn’t need reminding about Pritchard’s competitive nature.
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“I played against Payton, and during those matchups, I could tell he always had that competitive edge,” Holiday remarked. “And despite being shorter, he has always possessed that tenacity.
“Being his teammate, I’m grateful to be on his side.”