Payton Pritchard had a strong season while coming off the Boston Celtics bench. He was Joe Mazzulla’s primary back-up point guard, and handled a significant increase in role and minutes with ease. During the season, he embraced creating space via contact and added an interior aspect to his game, making him a bigger threat with the ball in his hands and opening up more opportunities for himself as a playmaker.
Still, Pritchard’s biggest moments from last season came during the playoffs, specifically with his multiple half-court shots that he got to fall down. Pritchard is emerging as a big moment player for the Celtics, and one with enough confidence to take hail mary shots with the clock running down.
During a recent episode of the “We Want Boston” podcast, host Noa Dalzell interviewed Dana Altman, head coach of Oregon basketball, who coached Pritchard during his time with the Ducks. Altman noted that he isn’t surprised by Pritchard’s half-court escapades, and that he always knew he would find a role in the NBA.
You can watch the full interview with Altman by clicking on the embedded video above.
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Payton Pritchard’s former coach discusses his role in the NBA
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