Celtics’ Payton Pritchard breaks NBA record for most 3-pointers off the bench
Pritchard has been the favorite to win the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award for months.
Payton Pritchard owns a piece of NBA history following the Celtics’ win over the Nets on Saturday night.
Pritchard broke the record for most 3-pointers off the bench in a single season in the fourth quarter Saturday. The Celtics guard is the longstanding favorite to win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, and can now add a historic achievement to his resume.
Watch Pritchard make history with his 219th three:
“It just means I did my job off the bench at a high level, and hopefully I can continue to do that,” Pritchard told reporters postgame.
Pritchard finished with 22 points (second-most on the Celtics) and went 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. He added six rebounds, three assists, and two steals as well.
Boston’s superstars have been vocal this season about Pritchard’s importance in Boston, and Jayson Tatum made his case publicly for the sharpshooter to win Sixth Man of the Year.
“What he brings to this team on a given night, especially off the bench. We got a few weeks left, but he got to be Sixth Man of the Year,” Tatum said after a February game where Pritchard was Boston’s leading scorer.
Mazzulla reaffirmed the significance of Pritchard’s play on Saturday.
“Pritchard just has an ability to impact the game in so many ways, and just continues to get better and better,” Mazzulla said. “His competitive nature and work ethic is unreal, and that’s an awesome thing. It takes a special person to fulfill that role, and he takes pride in it.”
Amid the best season of his NBA career, Pritchard achieved a historic milestone to immortalize his efforts.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com