REPORT: Celtics’ Payton Pritchard Calls Out ‘Soft’ NBA Players For This Tactic

Pritchard didn’t hold back at all with his critique

Payton Pritchard entering potential breakout Celtics season more mature -  CelticsBlog

Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard has no problem hoisting an end-of-quarter shot as time expires from anywhere on the court.

And he has no problem calling out his NBA counterparts who pass up that opportunity.

Pritchard became Boston’s king of the buzzer-beater, most notably draining a half-court shot right before halftime in Game 5 of the NBA Finals against the Dallas Mavericks. In that same game, Dante Exum had a chance to launch a near full-court heave at the end of the first quarter but never pulled the trigger and just let the clock run out.

Pritchard sees that as taking the cowardly way out.

“Soft mentally,” Pritchard told The Athletic’s Jay King about players taking that approach. “Worrying about a shooting percentage. It’s very weak. You care about your individual shooting percentage more than winning. That’s so soft.”

It is that mindset that allowed Pritchard to blossom and go from a potential trade candidate to an integral piece of the Celtics this season.

Pritchard is the runaway favorite for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award as he enters the All-Star break averaging a career-best 13.8 points per game on 41.1% shooting from beyond the arc to go along with 3.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists.

He turned down an opportunity to participate in the NBA’s annual 3-point contest, looking to catch up on his rest instead of chasing fame.

In the end, all Pritchard cares about is winning games for the Celtics. So, he’ll continue to take those buzzer-beating shots whenever they present themselves and scoff at the players who won’t try them for their teams.

Related Posts

Breaking: Lakers made the steal of the offseason thanks to Luka Doncic

Luka helped the Lakers land Marcus Smart. Luka Doncic, Mitch Heckart | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images The Los Angeles Lakers are set up for a lot of success…

NBA Insider Forecasts a Prolonged Postseason Surge from the Los Angeles Lakers: Report

The Los Angeles Lakers were quick to take action regarding what the team needs. During the 2024-25 NBA season, it was evident that they needed a solid big man after trading Anthony…

The predictable Bulls disaster that’s been unfolding all season could ultimately lead to an ideal trade scenario for the Warriors, one that would bring in the athletic and versatile Jonathan Kuminga, a player who has been on the radar of many NBA teams. With the Bulls struggling to find consistency and their season slipping away, it’s likely that they’ll be looking to make some moves to shake things up, and Kuminga’s unique skillset could be just what they need to turn things around.

As the Golden State Warriors have sought out a potential sign-and-trade for restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga this offseason, a generally cooled interest a

Get ready to laugh out loud! Warriors forward Draymond Green’s hilarious reaction to Jimmy Butler’s shocking trade to the Miami Heat is a must-see! The NBA star couldn’t contain his emotions as he watched the news break, and his priceless facial expression is going viral. 😂 What do you think triggered Draymond’s funny reaction – was it the surprise move or something else?

Draymond Green used the recent Heat trade to defend his Warriors co-star Jimmy Butler from the criticisms he faced.

Warriors Eye Veteran Center to Ease Draymond Green’s Load: A Strategic Move to Bolster Frontcourt Depth. With Draymond Green shouldering a significant amount of responsibility on both ends of the court, the Warriors are on the hunt for a seasoned center to provide some much-needed support and alleviate the pressure on their star player. By bringing in a veteran big man, the team hopes to create a more balanced attack and improve their overall chances of success this season.

Discover how Al Horford joining the Warriors could change the team’s dynamics and ease Draymond Green’s workload.

Breaking: Lakers’ Rui Hachimura gets $18 million contract update before potential free agency

Rui Hachimura is entering the final season of his contract with the Los Angeles Lakers. For the 2025-26 campaign, Hachimura is slated to make $18,259,259. What comes…