BOSTON — The Boston Celtics' history of success runs deep. It starts with franchise legends and goes all the way down to the bench, where unsung heroes have quietly made their mark for decades. Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard joins that rich lineage of bench ballers, as he's now the fourth player in franchise history to win Sixth Man of the Year.

Pritchard went from requesting a trade out of Boston in 2023 to becoming a fan favorite in 2024 when he drained multiple half-court shots during the Celtics' dominant run to their 18th title — the most in league history. With Pritchard taking home the John Havlicek Trophy, aptly named after a Celtic great who dazzled off the pine, Boston captured another league-best.

The C's have won five Sixth Man of the Year Awards, tying the Los Angeles Clippers for the most in NBA history. Celtics legends Kevin McHale and Bill Walton combined for three in the 1980s while ex-Celtic Malcolm Brogdon received the prestigious honor in 2023.

Pritchard's turn came during a historic 2024-25 campaign. He shined this season with a career-high 14.3 points per game and shot an impressive 40.7% from 3-point land. He also averaged career-highs in rebounds (3.8), assists (3.5), and overall shooting percentage, converting on 47.2% of his field goal attempts.

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The fifth-year Celtic's excellence in the regular season continued into Game 1 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Pritchard recorded a playoff career-high of 19 points against the Orlando Magic, helping Boston prevail 103-86 and go up 1-0 in the first-round series. He hopes to maintain his elite bench production in the postseason and, beyond that, level up for years to come.

“My efficiency, shooting-wise, has been really good this year,” Pritchard said after a Tuesday morning practice. “Just every summer, keep finding ways to get better and better and elevate my game, especially in the playoffs. Hopefully next year comes and I elevate it again.”

In the present, the Celtics could use Pritchard's talents for Game 2 on Wednesday night. Celtics star Jayson Tatum is listed as doubtful with a wrist injury, potentially subtracting a major source of points, rebounds, and assists from the Green Team. Every Celtic isn't afraid to step up and if anybody has proven that they can do it consistently off the bench, it's Pritchard.