Joe Mazzulla didn’t wait long to push Payton Pritchard. Four games into the season, the Celtics coach challenged his guard to be better defensively, and Pritchard answered in Boston’s first NBA Cup game.
Against the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden, Pritchard looked like the kind of nuisance Boston wants him to be. He finished with two steals and two deflections in the Celtics’ 125-111 win, a strong showing on the same night he poured in 30 points to lead everyone on the floor.
That kind of response fits the reputation he has built. As Jayson Tatum said at training camp, "To be a six-foot white guard and got to the point he has in his career, it's because he works his [expletive] off."
Pritchard’s own goals on that end of the floor are clear. He wants to create more turnovers, apply more pressure on the ball and draw more fouls on screens. That takes a ton of energy, and Mazzulla made that point after the game.
"You saw the absolute best version of him. Now, it takes a ton of energy. Not going to be able to do that every single night, but the sky's the limit for him," voiced Mazzulla from the post-game podium.
The Celtics guard also wants to get back to making more of an impact on the glass. He averaged 3.1 defensive rebounds last season and 2.6 the year before, but after Friday’s game he admitted that area has slipped.
"In the past, I've been a good rebounder, but this year, I haven't rebounded well; I haven't boxed out well," he said after Friday's NBA Cup clash.
Friday was the kind of night that shows why Boston keeps asking for more. Pritchard scored 20 points in the first half on 7/10 shooting, then finished with 30 on 9/17 from the field.
He also went 9/9 at the line, setting a new career high in both free throws made and attempts. Add in three assists, three rebounds, those two steals and the two deflections, and it was the full package.
Afterward, Mazzulla made it clear how much he values the guard’s growth and the bond they share.
"He's got more in the tank," said Mazzulla after Boston's victory to improve to 4-1 this season. "He's a kid that can continue to get better and better.
I like pushing him. I like coaching him, and love him like a brother."
Pritchard has never lacked for self-belief, and he said as much after the win.
"Pressure's a privilege. I'm gonna go through ups and downs, but it's gonna make me better," expressed the former Oregon star after the Celtics' win over the Bulls.
The offensive upside is obvious. He’s a three-level scorer, and last season he was one of the league’s best isolation players, producing at a level that stacked up with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic. He averaged 5.2 assists per game last year, too, which leaves room for him to grow as a playmaker even as his scoring keeps climbing.
That’s the larger picture here: Pritchard has already come a long way, but there’s still more to squeeze out of his game. Boston saw it Friday, and Mazzulla is clearly intent on keeping the pressure on until the guard reaches it.
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