While the Celtics are officially off on their title-defense playoff run, they could still get some regular-season accolades. The NBA will release its awards in the coming days like MVP, Sixth Man of the Year, All-NBA teams and more as the playoffs roll on.
That means Payton Pritchard could find out as soon as Tuesday if he’s the winner of an award. The NBA will unveil the 2024-25 Sixth Man of the Year at 7 p.m. Tuesday on TNT, ahead of the playoff games that night. The C’s guard had a breakout season and is the frontrunner of the award. He was officially named a finalist for it Sunday, along with the Pistons’ Malik Beasley and the Cavaliers’ Ty Jerome.
Pritchard had a stellar playoff opener, scoring 19 points off the bench in the Game 1 victory over the Magic on Sunday. He had his role tweaked some, coming into the game late in the first quarter and playing sparingly in the first half. Then he was unleashed in the second half as he looked the part of a bench threat.
While some players openly campaign for awards, Pritchard declined to do that at the end of the regular season. The Oregon product averaged 14.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 80 games (three starts) this season.
“There’s no need for that,” Pritchard said. “If I get it, it’s not going to stop my journey, it’s not going to stop the work I’m going to put in. This would just be another stepping stone. People could write about it if I get it, saying I have an award. But at the end of the day, I feel like I’m just looking to keep growing and growing. And I feel like the future, I don’t know what that holds.”
