Brad Stevens Doubles Down, Puts Celtics Guard on Notice

https://heavy.com/sports/boston-celtics/payton-pritchard-tentative-brad-stevens/?fbclid=IwAR02DdPYhB2DYN_VeefeK0TlO9G9L1cj0o7V0UtHJCIdz0YKts2PIXD9v64



Brad Stevens Doubles Down, Puts Celtics Guard on Notice




By Vinny Somma
Updated Feb 8, 2021 at 12:49pm


Brad Stevens says Payton Pritchard has played too tentative



As Kemba Walker’s slump grows increasingly concerning, rookie guard Peyton Pritchard continues to be a bright spot for the Boston Celtics. In his second game back from injury, the former Oregon standout headed a second-half charge against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday. While the Cs ultimately failed to capture the “W”, marking their fourth loss over their last six games, Pritchard helped claw his team back into contention as Boston closed the third quarter on a 9-0 run.

“He helped us get back in the game in the late third (quarter), hit some big shots,” head coach Brad Stevens said of Pritchard. “He gave us a chance. Payton was a good reason why we got back in. But it was (his) defense that got him jump started. I thought he was a totally different guy in the second (half).”

Pritchard’s second-half brilliance has become a somewhat regularity of late. All of the 23-year-old’s 12 points against Phoenix came in the final two quarters, knocking down four 3-pointers and notching five rebounds and one assist over the last 24 minutes of regulation.

While coach Stevens was complimentary of his young guard, he publically asked for more “assertiveness” from Pritchard following the Suns loss.

“That’s two games in a row now where he’s come back from the knee (injury) and was tentative in the first (half),” Stevens said. “We need him to play with that kind of assertiveness and aggressiveness when he checks into the game.”


Stevens Doubles Down on Message to Pritchard

This marks the second game in a row that Stevens has been less than pleased with Pritchard’s initial play out the gates. In Friday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers, Pritchard’s first game back from a Grade 1 MCL sprain might we add, he came off the bench to notch eight points on 3-for-4 shooting in 19 minutes of play.

“To be honest, I thought he looked a little tentative,” Stevens said following the four-point win in Los Angeles. “I had to tell him to shoot. So the very next time he touched the ball he jacked one right in front of me. And he made it. So he’s a good listener. But I thought he looked timid in the first half and then I thought he was good in the second.”


Pritchard’s Record-Setting Pace

Prior to his injury, Pritchard had carved out a significant role as a top player of the bench for Stevens. Since returning to the lineup, he’s remained a steady contributor, averaging 10 ppg, while amassing a total of seven rebounds and two assists.

It’s somewhat understandable where Stevens is coming from in his analysis of Pritchard. On top of Kemba Walker’s aforementioned struggles, both Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart are nursing injuries, making Pritchard a key cog in kickstarting Boston’s offense.

As for the Oregon native, he remains on pace for a brilliant rookie campaign. In fact, some might say historic. While his shooting percentage has slightly dipped below 50% on the season (49.5), he’s shooting 44.2% from 3-point range and 90% from the free thrown line, putting him in striking distance to produce a 50/40/90 season. As Celtics.com’s Taylor Snow notes, should Pritchard accomplish said feat, he would be the first rookie in NBA history to do so.


Bob
MY NOTE:  For those who feel Brad doesn't play/trust young players enough this article and statement by Brad should give them pause.  Here, he is explicitly telling a #26 pick rookie to "assert himself" and he's not saying it like "he's being too weak".  He's saying it like "you're a key player, we need you to do this and we've seen you do it already.  We just need you to do it every minute you're on the court regardless of which half it's in".  In my opinion that's a big double-thumbs up from Brad to PP.  He's saying "I'd love to give you more minutes, maybe even I am going to give you more minutes, I just want that Fast-PP magic all the time.". Let'em fly, kid, you've been given The Big Green Light.


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bobheckler wrote:
Bob
MY NOTE:  For those who feel Brad doesn't play/trust young players enough this article and statement by Brad should give them pause.  Here, he is explicitly telling a #26 pick rookie to "assert himself" and he's not saying it like "he's being too weak".  He's saying it like "you're a key player, we need you to do this and we've seen you do it already.  We just need you to do it every minute you're on the court regardless of which half it's in".  In my opinion that's a big double-thumbs up from Brad to PP.  He's saying "I'd love to give you more minutes, maybe even I am going to give you more minutes, I just want that Fast-PP magic all the time.".  Let'em fly, kid, you've been given The Big Green Light.


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I agree with you completely.

That's what you tell a player you're going to play, not the message you give to one who is going to sit.

I think the reason for this is that the kid does not take bad shots, he does not come down and jack it up without passing around to teammates unless he is wide open, in a good spot. This is why he has been so successful, he has a good basketball mind and Brad knows that. Unlike Waters who sometimes takes the worst shots.

I think there must be something holding Nesmith back, his Defense???? I thought he had picked it up quite a bit, but this kid is not going to get any courage shooting the ball if he is not in the game. He has a smooth shot.

I am beginning to wonder if Danny is not showcasing Edwards lately (or Brad, when he is told to) One or more of these kids is not going to be around soon I think. Much as I would love to watch Romeo develop, I wonder if he is destined to not return this year. That must have been one heck of a wrist/hand surgery

RosalieTCeltics wrote:I think the reason for this is that the kid does not take bad shots, he does not come down and jack it up without passing around to teammates unless he is wide open, in a good spot. This is why he has been so successful, he has a good basketball mind and Brad knows that.  Unlike Waters who sometimes takes the worst shots.  

I think there must be something holding Nesmith back, his Defense????  I thought he had picked it up quite a bit, but this kid is not going to get any courage shooting the ball if he is not in the game. He has a smooth shot.

I am beginning to wonder if Danny is not showcasing Edwards lately (or Brad, when he is told to)  One or more of these kids is not going to be around soon I think. Much as I would love to watch Romeo develop, I wonder if he is destined to not return this year. That must have been one heck of a wrist/hand surgery

Rosalie,

Romeo's return was targeted for late January/early February.  Today is February 9th and we've been told he's doing "light shooting".  For a kid that was drafted on his supposed toughness by playing with a torn ligament in his shooting thumb, and that this wasn't major surgery, this is all quite puzzling.

It is also why I don't believe a word Danny says when it has to do with players in general and their rehab and prognosis in particular.


Bob


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