Boston Celtics’ Payton Pritchard performs in opposition to the Orlando Magic in the course of the first half in sport 1 of a first-round NBA playoff basketball collection Sunday, April 20, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photograph/Michael Dwyer)
Payton Pritchard got here off the bench and altered video games for the Boston Celtics this season.
He was the one participant within the NBA with greater than 1,000 factors in video games that he didn’t begin. He set the league report for 3-pointers made by a backup. And the voters took discover of all that and extra, selecting the Celtics guard because the league’s sixth man of the yr this season.
Pritchard topped Detroit’s Malik Beasley and Cleveland’s Ty Jerome for the award. It’s the fifth time {that a} Celtics participant received the award: Kevin McHale claimed it in 1984 and 1985, Invoice Walton in 1986 and Malcolm Brogdon received it in 2023.
READ: NBA: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White make Celtics historical past
Payton Pritchard, the 2024-25 Kia NBA Sixth Man of the Yr!
☘️ Most 3PM in a season off the bench in NBA historical past (246)
☘️ Most PTS off the bench this season (1,079)@Kia | #KiaSixth pic.twitter.com/wZaDQXgDOd— NBA (@NBA) April 22, 2025
“That is positively an honor,” Pritchard stated throughout TNT’s broadcast Tuesday evening when the outcomes had been revealed.
And possibly fittingly, the award is called for an additional Celtics legend — John Havlicek.
“Payton is a baller — and his teammates know what they’re getting each single day when it comes to effort, care, and dedication,” Celtics President Brad Stevens stated in a press release launched by the group. “For him to be honored with the award named after the good John Havlicek is a credit score to all that he brings to the desk for our group.”
It’s the primary of this season’s NBA awards to be introduced, with others to be scattered over the approaching weeks. The clutch participant of the yr award (Jalen Brunson of New York, Anthony Edwards of Minnesota or Nikola Jokic of Denver) will likely be introduced Wednesday evening and the defensive participant of the yr (Dyson Daniels of Atlanta, Draymond Inexperienced of Golden State or Evan Mobley of Cleveland) will likely be introduced Thursday evening.
The awards are voted on by a world panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cowl the league.
READ: NBA: Celtics blow out Magic in collection opener
Pritchard led all reserves in factors (1,079 within the video games wherein he didn’t begin), 3-pointers (246, not together with 9 extra he made in his three video games as a starter), together with plus-minus (+428). And amongst nonstarters, his help complete of 257 ranked third-best within the league behind solely Indiana’s T.J. McConnell and Portland’s Scoot Henderson.
A part of Pritchard’s function is obvious: Present assist to Boston’s 1-2 punch of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and he’s made it look straightforward.
“It’s a studying curve coming from faculty. All the pieces was ran by way of me,” Pritchard stated. “So then, coming right here, I’m enjoying with a variety of stars … so it’s positively a really feel. I really feel like I’m nonetheless getting higher at it, nevertheless it’s simply studying the sport, figuring out when possibly the protection is keying in on J.T. and J.B. extra, and so they’re sort of leaving gaps open. Then you definitely’ve bought to reap the benefits of these alternatives.”
Pritchard is a fan favourite in Boston for a slew of causes, together with his power and penchant — to not point out willingness — to shoot deep 3s on the ends of quarters and halves, even low-percentage ones that in principle may harm his stats. He additionally had one of many wildest triple-doubles (although it technically doesn’t rely as one) in NBA historical past on March 5, when he had 43 factors, 10 rebounds and 10 3-pointers made, all of that off the bench.
The Celtics received a variety of video games regardless; they had been 61-21 this season. However when Pritchard was nice, they had been even more durable to beat. Boston went 17-6 this season when Pritchard got here off the bench and scored at the least 20 factors, 36-12 when he got here off the bench and scored at the least 10 factors.
“Payton’s additionally a gamer, as all people right here sees,” Celtics guard Jrue Vacation stated. “Any alternative he can to place that ball within the basket, he does it. However what makes him particular is what he does on the defensive finish — selecting up anyone full courtroom, simply being a canine, hounding whoever’s in entrance of him.”
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Pritchard was the runaway winner, getting 82 of the potential 100 first-place votes. Beasley (13 first-place votes) was second, Jerome (two first-place votes) was third and his Cleveland teammate De’Andre Hunter (additionally two first-place votes) was fourth.
Minnesota’s Naz Reid, final yr’s winner, bought the opposite first-place vote and was fifth. His Minnesota teammate Nickeil Alexander-Walker was sixth, Denver’s Russell Westbrook was seventh and Oklahoma Metropolis’s Alex Caruso was eighth.
