Brad Stevens talks about Celtics rookie Payton Pritchard after scoring 20 points in the C’s win against the Raptors. Pritchard is shooting 46.9% from 3 this season.
No one expected Payton Pritchard to be mentioned in the same breath as Larry Bird or Ray Allen when he was drafted 26th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2020 NBA Draft. Yet, here we are.
Pritchard has been a pleasant surprise for the C's this season, providing a major spark off the bench with his shooting prowess. The 23-year-old out of Oregon is shooting 49.5 percent from the field through 18 games played and 46.9 percent from 3-point range.
Forsberg: Pritchard proving to be the real deal and an All-Rookie candidate
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Boston sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Those numbers from beyond the arc are even crazier when compared to some of the greatest shooters in NBA history. Pritchard has converted on 30 of the first 64 3-point attempts of his career, outpacing all-time shooters like Reggie Miller, James Harden, JJ Redick, Steph Curry, and Ray Allen.
Check out the absurd stat below, courtesy of Boston Sports Info on Twitter:
By no means are we actually comparing Pritchard to those NBA legends, but that's some incredible company to be in.
Pritchard also helped to make Celtics history in Thursday night's win over the Toronto Raptors. Both he and Semi Ojeleye went 6-for-8 from 3, become the first C's teammates ever to make at least six 3-pointers in the same game.
Boston Celtics
If somehow you haven't already bought into Pritchard Mania, now may be the time.
Pritchard will look to continue his hot streak when the Celtics take on the Detroit Pistons Friday night at 8 p.m. Get ready for the game with "Celtics Pregame Live" at 7 p.m. on NBC Sports Boston.
