The Celtics Head Coach Commends A Veteran Guard

With the addition of experienced guard Jrue Holiday and big man Kristaps Porzingis, two players who are close to becoming All-Stars and who excel on both sides of the court, the Boston Celtics have many reasons to be hopeful and even thrilled about this season.

The Celtics’ one weakness, which may be a significant one, is their lack of depth on the bench.

Pritchard, who will play in his fourth NBA season, has established himself as a proficient 3-point shooter, but it is unclear whether he can lead Boston’s offense off the bench.

Derrick White, who started 70 games last season and averaged 12.4 points and 3.9 assists while shooting 38.1 percent from 3-point range, is the other primary backup guard the club now has.

"Most people in his position don't make it to the next contract… just says a lot about who he is."

Joe Mazzulla talks Payton Pritchard's performance so far in preseason, and his contract extension

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— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 13, 2023

Some predict that the Celtics will emerge from the Eastern Conference and perhaps win the global championship this season with Porzingis and Holiday on board.

Given that Porzingis is a great rim protector and Holiday may be the greatest defensive point guard in the league, they have the talent to compete with just about anybody in the game.

But as they pursue banner number 18, Boston will face tough competition from the Milwaukee Bucks, Denver Nuggets, Phoenix Suns, and their archrival Los Angeles Lakers.

Guard Payton Pritchard is one player who will need to step up to allay this worry, and according to head coach Joe Mazzulla, he has been running the offense effectively while improving his pick-and-roll navigation, as reported by Celtics on NBC Sports Boston.