The Sixth Person! The New King of the Backcourt! The Celtics’ New Season Opportunity!

Average of 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game, which is the report card Pritchard handed over last season.

As the best sixth man in the Celtics, the small man has proved many times that he can stand up and make steady contributions when the team needs it.

In the 10 games that Tatum missed last season, Pritchard averaged 19 points, 5.3 assists and 5 rebounds per game, shooting 47.3% from the field and 37.3% from three-point shooting percentage. Four of them scored more than 20 points and two of them broke through the 30-point mark.

Although one game was the last day of the regular season against the Hornets, the intensity was limited; in March against the Trail Blazers, Pritchard scored a career-high 43 points. On the spot, the Trail Blazers visited North Shore Garden Stadium with strong defense and excellent record. Pritchard made 14 of 20 shots and ignited the whole game, joining forces with White with 41 points, becoming the first backcourt combination in the history of the Celtics to break 40 points in the same game.

And with Tatum's injury and the significant changes in the bench lineup, Pritchard will soon face more responsibilities in the new season.

The Celtics must adjust their playing style to make the team more in line with his sixth player characteristics. With Tatum missing indefinitely, he needs to play faster than last season.

The Celtics ranked 29th in the league in offensive rounds last season, resulting in significant restrictions on Jaylen Brown's fast-paced play. Referring to the 2023-24 season, Jaylen Brown ranked second in the league in fast-paced score per game, but after the Celtics slowed down last season, his fast-paced score ranking dropped sharply to 12th.

Judging from the content of the game, accelerating the offensive rhythm will not only benefit Jaylen Brown, but also directly benefit Prichard and other peripheral players. The Celtics no longer have enough height and veteran game experience to support them in the long-term half-court offense, and more conversion attacks will be the inevitable choice.

creates more three-point opportunities in the fast break, using existing top shooters such as Prichard, White, Simmons Jr., and Hauser to revitalize the offense. Even without Tatum's offensive creativity, the Celtics still have the opportunity to use their fast attack to achieve firepower advantages.

A potential challenge for Prichard is the newly joined Simmons Jr. His arrival may compete with Prichard for backcourt time, or even starting position. But this may not necessarily weaken Prichard's value. There is still room for White, Prichard and Simmons Jr. to play at the same time in the rotation, especially when Mazula uses more small ball lineups under the new lineup, this will be a very heavy-duty lineup.

Although Simmons Jr. has outstanding offensive talent, he has not fully proved himself on the defensive end. Pritchard has won enough trust from the coach with his performance on both offense and defense. Even if he is not a starter, Pritchard should have more opportunities than last season.

Average nearly 8 three-point shots last season, and this data will be further improved after Tatum's absence. Pritchard's usage rate rose from 17% to 21.5%, averaging more than 10 three-pointers per game. In such a situation, what is most directly reminiscent of is Van Vleet's explosive performance after Leonard left the Raptors, and he has a chance to become the next Van Jordan.

Of course, increased responsibility also means challenges follow. Prichard and other backcourt players need to run in with the new frontcourt lineup to establish a stable chemical effect. Last season, the Celtics' inside line was able to open up space, attract opponents to defend, and create offensive opportunities for backcourt players. Whether different lineups in the new season can continue this chemical effect still needs to wait for verification in the new season.

The most obvious thing is that the Celtics lost Posses, Horford, and Connet in the offseason, and their overall interior talent has dropped significantly, which also means that the defenders will bear more pressure. The frontcourt position lost Tatum and veterans such as Holiday were missing.

And when the frontcourt lineup formed around Quita, Garza, Chris Boucher and Tillman cannot perform well in the new season, the burden on peripheral players will naturally increase. Of course, even if the new frontcourt lineup performs beyond expectations, the Celtics are unlikely to be listed as a favorite team to win the championship in the new season.

For the Celtics, these are challenges; but for Prichard, it means a bigger stage and a whole new opportunity to explode. He has previously proved that he can stand up at critical moments, and in the coming new season, his usage rate may be at a career high.

The Celtics' record may not be as good as before, but Pritchard's chances are gradually becoming clear.