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Boston Globe
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Celtics roster evaluation, Part 2: Reviewing the top players off the bench and coach Joe Mazzulla
Related : Still, Horford remains impactful, as evidenced by the fact that the Celtics were 4.1 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor this season, the second-best differential among regular rotation players. When the team held exit interviews on Tuesday, players sounded devastated when Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Payton Pritchard Advertisement With Pritchard's 3-point shooting remains a weapon. He averaged a career-high 7.8 attempts this season and connected on 40.7 percent. But his impact is felt elsewhere, too. Payton Pritchard, winner of the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award this season, averaged a career-high 7.8 3-point attempts this season and connected on 40.7 percent. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff It's remarkable to watch a player his size essentially move larger defenders out of the way as he finds space closer to the rim. Also, his 1.3 offensive rebounds per game led NBA guards shorter than 6 feet 4 inches. Pritchard is generously listed at 6-1. Advertisement Sam Hauser Opponents have hunted Hauser on defense for years, and there have been times when their pursuit of matchups against him compromised their offense because they were straying from their general principles. But this season, Hauser did regress at that end of the court a bit. A season ago, opponents shot 1.4 percentage points above their average with Hauser serving as the primary defender, and this season that number sprouted by 4.8 percentage points. Hauser's consistency as a 3-point shooter has been a boon. He has made at least 41.5 percent of his attempts in all four of his NBA seasons, a remarkable run for a former undrafted free agent. Hauser had a sparkling plus-17.5 net rating during the playoffs, so maybe the ankle injury he sustained in Game 1 against the Knicks was more damaging than many realized. The Celtics could have a tough decision to make this summer. Hauser will receive a reasonable $10 million salary as his Luke Kornet If the Celtics had overcome the 3-1 deficit and defeated the Knicks, Advertisement Nevertheless, the backup big man had an excellent season, and as an unrestricted free agent will certainly command more on the open market than the minimum-salary deal he had this season. Kornet drew Mazzulla's constant praise for knowing where he needed to be in just about every situation on both ends of the floor, and he quickly moved ahead of Neemias Queta on the depth chart. Mazzulla embraced double-big lineups much more frequently this season, and Kornet thrived in them. He and Kristaps Porzingis had a plus-24.7 net rating when paired together, and Kornet was plus-20.5 with Queta and plus-14.5 alongside Horford. Kornet does not play above the rim, but he has turned into an excellent shot-blocker and rebounder. His offensive rebounding percentage (13.4) was more than Porzingis and Horford combined (10.0). Joe Mazzulla Through three full seasons, Mazzulla's .740 winning percentage is the best in NBA history by a wide margin, with former Bulls and Lakers Hall of Fame coach Phil Jackson second at .704. Still, an argument can be made that the Celtics should have two NBA championships under Mazzulla, and perhaps even three, rather than one. Related : The Celtics' reliance on the 3-pointer ultimately proved costly this season; their 25-for-100 shooting through the first two games of the Knicks series was part of the reason they fell into an 0-2 deficit. The Celtics fired up an NBA-record 48.2 per game during the regular season, leading the league for the second consecutive season. But their shooting percentage dipped from second last season to 10th this season. Still, Mazzulla showed a willingness to adapt in other areas, from shifting to successful double-big sets to using timeouts more urgently. Advertisement Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA Trade Idea Sends Celtics' Payton Pritchard To Magic For 2 Players
If the Boston Celtics hold onto their current roster, next season's payroll would reach around $500 million. As a result, some believe the Celtics could shake up the roster this summer. Not only did Boston fail to defend its championship this year, but All-Star small forward Jayson Tatum also tore his right Achilles tendon and could miss all of next season. Advertisement In the wake of the Celtics' expensive payroll and Tatum's injury, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report proposed that the Celtics trade Payton Pritchard to the Orlando Magic for Jett Howard, Tristan da Silva and the No. 16 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. "Pritchard seems like one of the least likely Celtics to be moved this summer. He'll still be in his prime whenever Tatum is healthy again, just broke out with a Sixth Man of the Year season and is on one of the best value contracts in the league. It runs through 2027-28, when he'll make just $8.3 million," Bailey wrote. "But if some team were willing to part with an unprotected first and some young talent for him, Boston might blink. "Howard has yet to show much of the shooting that got him drafted in the first round in 2023, but he's only 21 years old and has good size (at 6'8") for a wing. Silva looks like he could develop into a bona fide three-level scorer and playmaking forward. And of course, the 2025 pick would instantly give Boston another cost-controlled contract for the next four years." Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard© Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images Pritchard won the Sixth Man of the Year Award this season. He'll make $7.2 million next season. Advertisement The 27-year-old Pritchard appeared in 80 games for the Celtics this season. He averaged 14.3 points while shooting 47.2% from the field, 40.7% from 3 and 84.5% from the foul line. In the 2025 playoffs, Pritchard averaged 11.9 points, 2.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists in 11 games against the Magic and New York Knicks. The dynamic guard shot 45.5% overall and 40.3% from beyond the arc. Related: NBA Trade Idea Gives Jaylen Brown Fresh Start on Rising NBA Squad
Forbes
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
Payton Pritchard Joins Celtics Royalty In Winning Sixth Man Of The Year
Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard is the NBA's 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year. It's a testament to Pritchard's perseverance and a growth mindset he discussed with Forbes in an exclusive and wide-ranging interview. He also shared what winning this honor would mean to him, conveying, "It'd just be a testament to my hard work, my durability over time, and really just striving to be excellent in my role." The former first-round pick was buried on Boston's bench a few years ago. "Most guys in his position, the league breaks them," said Joe Mazzulla on the heels of Pritchard overcoming the obstacles in front of him to earn a four-year, $30 million extension that's become one of the most team-friendly deals in the league. But even after the security that comes with a new contract and helping the Celtics raise Banner 18 to the TD Garden rafters, Pritchard stayed hungry. He utilized a truncated offseason for the NBA's reigning champions to position himself for a career year and his most meaningful growth. He's achieved his stated goals entering the 2024-25 campaign. One of those was becoming more efficient at shooting threes off the dribble. According to on pull-up threes among those taking at least two per game, Pritchard finished the regular season in the top five in effective field goal percentage, which adjusts field goal percentage to account for the added value of three-point attempts. The fifth-year guard also wanted to become more impactful on defense and earn more opportunities to prove himself while defending the league's premier perimeter players. His development at that end of the floor led to the Celtics' coaching staff granting his wish. They trusted him to defend the likes of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Luka Doncic, and Cade Cunningham, to name a few. "I feel like a lot of it has to do with working in the weight room, getting stronger, faster, quicker, and being in better shape," Pritchard told this author about his career year on defense in their previously mentioned exclusive interview for Forbes. "But just being fearless and never backing down from a moment." Offensively, the former Oregon Duck averaged double figures for the first time in his career. He produced 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game. Each of those represents new personal bests. Pritchard also converted on 40.7 percent of the 7.8 threes he launched. In beating out Malik Beasley of the Detroit Pistons and Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award, Pritchard becomes the fifth Celtic to earn that honor. Three are in the Basketball Hall of Fame: John Havlicek, Kevin McHale, and Bill Walton. At the Auerbach Center on Tuesday, Pritchard shared with this author what he's most proud of about the growth this season that placed him in the position to earn this accolade. "My consistency," said Pritchard. "Game in, game out. Limiting overall bad games. I'm proud of that. My efficiency shooting-wise, I think, has been really good this year. Every summer, finding different ways to keep getting better and better and elevate my game, especially in the playoffs. And then, hopefully, next year comes, and I elevate it again." Al Horford conveyed, "I'm just so proud of Payton and the job that he's done. His consistency with his work ethic, and how hard he works, [and] how he's taking care of his body. How he took the challenge on this year and [is] trying to take his game to another level, not only on the offensive end but defensively; it's remarkable to see." The 17-year veteran continued, "He plays the right way, and I'm so impressed [by] That was evident on Sunday at TD Garden, where Pritchard produced 19 points, his most in a playoff game, helping his team register a 103-86 victory vs. the Orlando Magic to take a 1-0 series lead in their first-round matchup. "His ball pressure; I thought he was just as good defensively as he was offensively," Mazzulla told Forbes post-game. "Him pushing the pace at the offensive end was big for us. But really, his physicality at the point of attack was big for us. And I think he got two tip-out lead runs in the second half that were big for us…[He] Pritchard's ability to meet the moment and step up for a Celtics team that saw Jayson Tatum require 22 shots to score 17 points and Jaylen Brown score 16 on 14 field goal attempts didn't come from being satisfied or resting on his laurels. So, rest assured that Pritchard winning the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award is an accomplishment that will only add more fuel to the fire inside him that's propelling him to continue reaching new heights.
Boston Globe
21-04-2025
- Sport
- Boston Globe
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nokola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo are NBA MVP finalists; Payton Pritchard up for Sixth Man
They were considered such big favorites that BetMGM Sportsbook didn't even offer realistic odds toward the end of the regular season on anyone else winning. Gilgeous-Alexander was the favorite, Jokic was the second choice, and nobody else had odds shorter than 500-1. Advertisement Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (front) averaged a triple-double during the regular season with 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists. David Zalubowski/Associated Press Given that All-NBA voting now essentially mirrors MVP voting, being an MVP finalist basically guarantees an All-NBA first-team nod. It'll be the ninth appearance on that team for Antetokounmpo, the seventh for Jokic and the third for Gilgeous-Alexander. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Last year's MVP finalists were Jokic, Gilgeous-Alexander, and Luka Doncic — then of the Mavericks, now with the Lakers. A panel of writers and broadcasters who cover the NBA voted on the awards last week. The NBA will announce the winners of the various awards, along with the All-NBA and All-rookie teams, over the coming weeks. Coach of the year Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka has the Rockets as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference in his second year in Houston. Godofredo A. Vásquez/Associated Press Finalists: Kenny Atkinson, Cavaliers; J.B. Bickerstaff, Pistons; Ime Udoka, Rockets. This is how good a race this was: Leominster's Mark Daigneault, who won last year, led Oklahoma City to a 68-win season and didn't get into the top three. Advertisement Atkinson led the Cavaliers to a 64-win season, the best in the Eastern Conference. He was announced Saturday as the winner of the National Basketball Coaches Association's coach of the year award, a separate trophy from the NBA honors. Bickerstaff, in his first year with the Pistons, and Udoka took their teams to the playoffs, and the Rockets got the No. 2 seed in the West. Last year: Daigneault won, with the Timberwolves' Chris Finch and Jamahl Mosley of the Magic the other finalists. Rookie of the year Finalists: Stephon Castle, Spurs; Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks; Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies. Castle — the No. 4 pick in last year's draft — could be the second consecutive NBA Rookie of the Year from San Antonio, after Victor Wembanyama was the unanimous winner last season. Risacher and Wells were the No. 3 and No. 4 rookie scorers this season behind Castle. A notable omission: The Wizards' Alex Sarr, who averaged 13 points this season. Last year: Wembanyama won, with Chet Holmgren of the Thunder and the Hornets' Brandon Miller the other finalists. Sixth man of the year Finalists: Malik Beasley, Pistons; Ty Jerome, Cavaliers; Payton Pritchard, Celtics. After making 40.7 percent of his 3-pointers this season, Celtics guard Payton Pritchard is a finalist for the Sixth Man of the Year Award. Danielle Parhizkaran/Globe Staff Pritchard is the overwhelming favorite, though voters clearly took note of what Beasley did off the Pistons' bench — making 319 3-pointers — and Jerome was particularly steady for the Cavs all season. Last year: The Timberwolves' Naz Reid won, with the Kings' Malik Monk and the Bucks' Bobby Portis the other finalists. Most Improved Player Finalists: Cade Cunningham, Pistons; Dyson Daniels, Hawks; Ivica Zubac, Clippers. Cunningham led Detroit's wild turnaround year — a 28-game losing streak last season, the No. 6 seed this season — and should be an All-NBA selection as well. Daniels and Zubac both had exceptionally good seasons, particularly on the defensive end. Advertisement Last year: Tyrese Maxey of the 76ers won, with the Rockets' Alperen Sengun and Coby White of the Bulls the other finalists. Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (left) is among the finalists for Most Improved Player after Detroit had a 30-game jump from 14 to 44 wins. Albert Pena/Associated Press Defensive player of the year Finalists: Dyson Daniels, Hawks; Draymond Green, Warriors; Evan Mobley, Cavaliers. Daniels was a steals machine, Mobley has the gift of being able to defend the rim with physicality but not foul, and Green is seeking his second award after winning it in 2016-17. The Timberwolves' Rudy Gobert remains on four DPOY awards, tied with Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace as winners of the most. Wembanyama — who won the blocked-shots title this season — probably would have won this award in a runaway had he not been sidelined since the All-Star break with deep vein thrombosis in one of his shoulders. Last year: Gobert won, with Bam Adebayo of the Heat and Wembanyama the other finalists. Clutch player of the year Finalists: Jalen Brunson, Knicks; Anthony Edwards, Timberwolves; Nikola Jokic, Nuggets. Can't go wrong here. Edwards had 157 points in clutch time this season, Brunson had 150, and Jokic had 140. Last year: The Warriors' Stephen Curry won, with DeMar DeRozan — then with the Bulls, now with the Kings — and Gilgeous-Alexander the other finalists. Jalen Brunson is who the Knicks turn to down the stretch. Meg Oliphant/Getty
USA Today
05-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa basketball signs fifth former Drake Bulldog
Iowa basketball signs fifth former Drake Bulldog As the chaos of the transfer portal continues to reshape the Iowa basketball roster, the Hawkeyes have added another former Drake Bulldog to the 2025-26 roster as guard and forward Tavion Banks signed with the program. Banks, who joins the Hawkeyes as a senior, averaged 10.1 points and 5.0 rebounds per game on 52.0% shooting from the floor and 70.5% from the charity stripe. Banks played in 34 games and started one during his lone season at Drake last year, averaging 20.1 minutes of floor time per contest. Banks' impressive play off the bench for the Bulldogs last season earned him the Missouri Valley Conference Sixth Man of the Year Award. During Drake's NCAA Tournament appearance, Banks stood out as one of the team's impact players as he notched 15 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, and three steals in the Bulldogs' 67-57 win over Missouri in the Round of 64. Banks followed that up with 11 points, four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in Drake's 77-64 loss to Texas Tech in the second round. Banks is a Kansas City, Mo., native but played high school basketball at Minnesota Preparatory Academy in Saint Paul, Minn. The 6-foot-7, 200-pounder began his college career in the JUCO level at Northwest Florida State, where he helped the Raiders to an NCJAA Division I tournament championship game appearance. Banks' 2025-26 season with the Hawkeyes will also be his final year of NCAA eligibility. Banks is the fifth former Bulldog player to follow Ben McCollum from Drake to Iowa since the Hawkeyes made the head coaching hire on March 26. He joins fellow Drake transfers Bennett Stirtz, Cam Manyawu, Kael Combs, and Isaia Howard. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
