Payton Pritchard won the Sixth Man of the Year’s Sixth Man of the NBA, receiving 82 votes in first place, the League announced on Tuesday.
Pritchard is now the fourth Boston Celtic to win the award, joining Kevin Mchale (who won twice), Bill Walton and Malcolm Brogdon. Appropriately, the trophy is named after another Celtic: The Incerator of the Sixth Man Role, John Havlicek. The prize did not exist during the career of the Havlicek renown temple, but many successors in Boston were honored for filling his shoes. Now Pritchard joins this illustrious group.
The Malik Beasley of the Pistons arrived in second place with 13 votes in first place and no other player received more from two votes in first place.
Pritchard has slightly dismissed from the most recent trends in the way this price was awarded. In recent years, with Naz Reid last season, which has been an excellent example, the winners of the sixth man of the year have swelled their statistics with punctual departures. But in 80 appearances this season, Pritchard only started three times. These three departures arrived late in the season, when the Celtics rested regular and had their locking seed. During the competitive part of the season, Pritchard was exclusively a reserve, but was one of the most prolific in the NBA.
Among the eligible candidates, alone from’Andre Hunter and were on average more points per game. Pritchard gave Celtics 14 per game while pulling 47.2% of the soil and 41.1% from the 3 -point range. Stroke this remarkable shooting with an improvement as a passer and defender and Pritchard has become one of the most complete guards of all basketball.
And in a team of older Celtics trying to spend the regular season, these fireworks of the bench have proved to be essential. Jrue Holiday and Jaylen Brown have known years. Al Horford is 38 years old. When Boston needed a spark to survive a difficult section or a lifeless night against a dangerous opponent, many and many times, Pritchard provided him. While Brad Steves won the year last year, no Celtics player won an individual award during his championship season. Now Pritchard has done so that they are trying to defend this title.
