The Boston Celtics are carefully managing their roster as they gear up for a deep playoff run, according to the Locked on Celtics podcast.
With 14 regular-season games remaining, the team’s primary focus is keeping its key players rested and in peak condition for the postseason.
Jalen Brown has already been ruled out for the upcoming matchup against the Brooklyn Nets, while Jayson Tatum is listed as questionable.
Although some fans—especially those attending the game—may be disappointed, Boston is prioritizing long-term health over short-term results.
The team’s schedule allows for valuable recovery time, and if Tatum sits out, he will gain several crucial days of rest before the playoff push.
Even without their two All-Stars, the Celtics remain a formidable force, with Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford, and Derrick White ready to step up.
With the second seed in the Eastern Conference virtually secured at 49-19, Boston is treating the remaining games as a tune-up for the postseason.
Payton Pritchard on working to be the Celtics’ best defender, quitting alcohol, and why he never flops
Payton Pritchard has his nutrition routine down to a science.
His mornings start with oatmeal, bacon, and a protein shake. Before games, he fuels up with noodles and chicken sautéed in olive oil.
And when it comes to alcohol during the NBA season? “That’s been easy.”
Every aspect of Pritchard’s regimen is intentional, part of his commitment to maximizing his impact as the Celtics pursue another championship.
“For me, it’s like – I feel like I’m gonna have a good opportunity this year to help the team grow a little bit,” Pritchard told CelticsBlog last week. “So, how can I maximize everything?”
He didn’t enter the season expecting to be a frontrunner for Sixth Man of the Year. In fact, winning the award—now seemingly within reach—was never part of his initial goals. He also had no idea he’d shatter the NBA record for most three-pointers made off the bench in a single season, a milestone he set on Saturday night against the Brooklyn Nets—with 14 games still left to play.
His aspirations have always been self-driven, focused on refining skills that would directly elevate the Celtics’ title hopes.
“Can I increase shooting off the dribble? Can I increase my playmaking? Can I get more steals?” Pritchard said. “Stuff like that, I can personally affect.”
The results speak for themselves.
The 5’11” guard has seen his scoring surge to 14.1 points per game this season, up from 9.6 last year. He boasts the second-highest true shooting percentage (TS%) and effective field goal percentage (eFG%) on the Celtics, trailing only Luke Kornet—who takes nearly all of his shots within 10 feet of the rim.
Beyond scoring, his playmaking remains a steady force. Among players averaging at least 25 minutes per game, only Chris Paul, Tyrese Haliburton, Jimmy Butler III, and Fred VanVleet have a better assist-to-turnover ratio.
But Pritchard isn’t one to settle. He’s constantly searching for ways to expand his game.
That relentless drive has propelled him to this point.
“His competitive nature and work ethic is unreal,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said.
Even now, he’s fine-tuning new weapons. Behind the scenes, Pritchard has been honing his floater—one element missing from his offensive arsenal.
“It’s not necessarily needed for what we need right now, but when the time comes… I’ll be ready to take those shots.”
Quest to become the Celtics’ best defender
Above all, there are the defensive aspirations.
Once considered a liability, Payton Pritchard is determined not just to be an elite defender for the Celtics—but to become their best defender.
“Eventually, I want to get to [be] somebody that — I guard the other team’s best players,” he said.
That mentality was put to the test last week when the Celtics faced the Oklahoma City Thunder. The defensive challenge? Slowing down MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Jaylen Brown took the primary assignment but struggled to contain him. Jrue Holiday—one of the NBA’s best defenders—has also found SGA to be a tough matchup.
Yet when the Thunder’s star went after Pritchard, he held his ground.
In just over five minutes of direct coverage this season, Pritchard has limited SGA to six points on 2-5 shooting while forcing three turnovers.
It’s a small sample size, but the analytics back up his defensive effort. More importantly, Pritchard doesn’t shy away from these moments—he embraces them.
“His ability to want to take on great matchups has been big for us,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said.
Pritchard has poured time into studying opposing players’ tendencies, dissecting the nuances of what makes elite scorers so dangerous.
“You’re never gonna stop a great player,” he said. “If somebody’s guarding me, I never feel like somebody’s gonna just shut me down. It’s just more about, how can you force them into tougher shots, and maybe force a couple of turnovers here and there. But, the reason they’re that great is because they’re capable of scoring at a high level.”
He’s well aware of the doubts that have followed him throughout his career. In his mind, they’ve had more to do with perception than actual ability.
“People like to say that sometimes—maybe not as much anymore—but that I used to be a defensive liability,” he said. “But I feel like that was maybe because they looked at the height, and maybe the color of my skin a little bit. So they think I’m a target.”
But Pritchard welcomes the challenge. He often picks up opposing guards full-court, thriving in difficult matchups. He’s particularly enjoyed taking on Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell.
“I just try to make things tough,” he said. “And I feel like defensively, on ball, I think I’m very good… I can move my feet well, and take bumps, and I’m just gonna keep getting better and better and better at it.”
Mazzulla has praised Pritchard’s defensive growth—especially his off-ball awareness, an area that’s tough to measure statistically. That improvement has kept him on the floor even during rare cold shooting nights.
“As much versatility as he has on the offensive end, he really takes pride in developing on the defensive end,” Mazzulla said.
Pritchard knows he isn’t the Celtics’ go-to defender just yet, but he values every opportunity to test himself against the league’s best.
And he’s set on becoming that guy.
“I do want to get to that point where I am that guy,” he said firmly. “That is a goal.”
Payton Pritchard doesn’t know how to flop
There’s another area of potential growth that Pritchard has identified: flopping.
He smiled when asked about his self-proclaimed inability to sell contact.
“I just don’t,” he said.
A big reason for that? His role. With limited opportunities to drive to the basket, he hasn’t had many chances to develop the skill of drawing fouls.
“When you have the ball in your hands more, and when you’re driving a lot more, and you have a lot more of those attempts, then you start to learn when to draw a foul better,” he explained.
Right now, Pritchard attempts fewer than two shots per game at the rim, yet he’s finishing at an impressive 75.3%—9% above league average.
“I’m not gonna take a chance to flop and not get a call. But if you have the ball a lot, you can use those and figure out the right time [to flop], if somebody’s hands are in there.”
He pointed to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who drew a game-high 11 free throws against the Celtics—further cementing his reputation as one of the league’s best at getting to the line.
But not every attempt works. In the fourth quarter of last week’s game, SGA tried to sell a foul on a turnaround fadeaway with Pritchard guarding him. The officials didn’t bite.
For Pritchard, those moments reinforce why he doesn’t make flopping a priority.
“Look at Shai. Like, he got some calls, but then he also didn’t get some calls. He tried to flop, right? If you’re a role player and you do that, that don’t look too good. It’s like, you don’t get a call on that…” he trailed off.
The Sixth Man of the Year award
Right now, Pritchard is the clear frontrunner for the award, with the Pistons’ Malik Beasley and the Cavaliers’ De’Andre Hunter trailing in all betting odds.
Still, he’s made a conscious effort not to dwell on where he stands in the race.
“Because then it can eat you up,” he said. “Like, bad game, you’re thinking about it. Good game, you’re like ohhh. So I don’t ever try to think about it. For me, it’s always looking at self-improvement: how can I keep getting better and better?”
His role hasn’t been easy to navigate. Opportunities fluctuate depending on who’s available in the lineup. Earlier this month, he erupted for a career-high 43 points against the Trail Blazers. Three nights later, he took just five shots in a win over the Lakers.
In December, with key players sidelined, he averaged 12.3 shots per game. By January, with Kristaps Porzingis and others back, his attempts dropped to 8.1 per night.
He’s embraced the unpredictability.
“It takes a special person to fulfill that role,” Mazzulla said. “And he takes pride and does it every day.”
Pritchard has scored 20+ points in 20 games this season—all coming off the bench. He’s posting career highs in rebounds, assists, steals, field goal percentage, and three-point shooting.
His teammates have been vocal in their support. “He’s got to be Sixth Man of the Year,” Jayson Tatum said on TNT after Pritchard drilled eight threes in a February win over the 76ers.
But Pritchard remains focused on what matters most: sharpening his defense, expanding his offensive game, and helping the Celtics compete for a championship.
“We’re all human. I’m not gonna say I wouldn’t be grateful to win it,” he admitted. “I don’t want to not win it.”
“It’s out of my control. I know my play. I can control that.”
