As the Boston Celtics tighten up their already-tight rotation for their first-round series with the Brooklyn Nets, playing time for reserve guard Payton Pritchard has become scarce. But the West Linn native has been making the most of what he gets against the Nets, which he discussed after shootaround ahead of Game 2 with Brooklyn on Wednesday.
“I think when you come off the bench in the role I’m in, it can change the game, it can change the game, so you’ve got to be ready for what you get,– it’s not an easy job,” he explained. “Whatever you get out there, you’ve got to go out, play hard defense, knock down your shots, make plays, and you get what you get.”
“I’d rather be in this position than not playing,” he added as if to pre-empt the question of if he would like a bigger role. As the only undersized player on Boston’s roster, it is unlikely we will see more than a handful of minutes for Pritchard per game in this series due to his baked-in defensive shortcomings.
Or can we expect a more robust response to their Game 1 loss on Wednesday? https://t.co/BoRSdjojSu
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) April 20, 2022
But with his ability to hit a trey or two in just a few minutes of time to provide a spark off of the bench, The Oregon product’s role is far from a frivolous one in such an evenly-matched series.
This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!
