Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard is the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and he's only getting better.
On Sunday against the Los Angeles Lakers, Pritchard dropped 30 points to go along with eight assists. NBC Sports’ John Fanta pointed out something interesting about this performance during a new episode of The Kevin O’Connor Show.
“(Pritchard) had 30-plus points, five-plus assists, five-plus threes off the bench for the second time in his career,” Fanta said. “The only other Celtic to do that is Dee Brown. That was over 30 years ago.”
“Payton Pritchard’s a killer,” Fanta added.
Pritchard is averaging 17.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game across 55 games played, shooting 46.9% from the field and 36.8% from three-point range.
Pritchard started the first 48 games but shifted back to a bench role following a trade deadline move, a change that has sparked a remarkable surge.
Payton will have another opportunity to go wild on Tuesday night in Phoenix against the Suns. The Celtics will be playing without Jaylen Brown, who is nursing a knee contusion.
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