{"id":154666,"date":"2025-08-14T09:07:02","date_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:07:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=154666"},"modified":"2025-08-14T09:07:02","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T13:07:02","slug":"celtics-poised-start-surprise-payton-pritchard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/08\/14\/celtics-poised-start-surprise-payton-pritchard\/","title":{"rendered":"Celtics ‘Poised’ To Start Surprise Player"},"content":{"rendered":"

Regardless of Jayson Tatum<\/a>‘s long journey to recovery, the Boston Celtics are going to try to make the playoffs next season.<\/p>\n

Really, five-year pro Payton Pritchard<\/a> says “it’s not even about playoffs<\/a>, we have one standard in Boston and it’s to win a championship” (h\/t NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics Talk Podcast<\/em>). This may not jive with the general consensus. Not only is Tatum attempting to bounce back from a possible career-altering injury<\/a>, the Celtics have trimmed their salary by trading stars Jrue Holiday<\/a> and Kristaps Porzingis<\/a>. Additionally, mainstay Al Horford<\/a> is testing out free agency and<\/em> considering retirement; he doesn’t appear likely to return<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But the Celtics have a trick up their sleeves.<\/p>\n

Celtics ‘Poised’ To Start Payton Pritchard<\/h2>\n

As Tatum is likely out for most if not all of the 2025-26 regular season, Jaylen Brown<\/a> is set to step into his shoes. It’s a bit ironic, as it used to seem like there was an invisible tug-of-war between the two. In any case, Brown now gets the opportunity that he can lead a team to glory as their No. 1 option.<\/p>\n

Brown isn’t the only player that’s preparing for a role that’s somewhat foreign to them though. Pritchard, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year<\/a>, is “poised” to be a full-time starter<\/a> for the first time in his career (per FastbreakJournal.com’s Grant Afseth). That’s right, not offseason acquisition Anfernee Simons<\/a>, who’s started every game he’s played the past three seasons.<\/p>\n

Pritchard. P-Rabbit. Fast PP.<\/p>\n

\n

The Celtics all of a sudden have the best reserve in the league now too?! \ud83e\udd14Payton Pritchard is averaging 17 PPG on 43% from three, breaking the defense down, running the offense, getting after it defensively and setting guys up. Real hooper. pic.twitter.com\/517SE1W4jG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Ball Don’t Stop (@balldontstop) December 13, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n