Questions grew louder about the Celtics’ bench when they traded for Jrue Holiday back in September in a deal that sent out Malcolm Brogdon, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year, and Robert Williams – two proven and integral pieces. While they boasted the best top six in the NBA, with Al Horford moving to the bench, that made them championship favorites, who could the Celtics trust behind them?
Grant Williams, who moved to Dallas in a sign-and-trade, was also gone. It meant the Celtics needed to rely on the likes of Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and some others. There was skepticism, and it reached the Celtics locker room. Pritchard took it personally.
“I definitely did,” Pritchard said last week. “I think it’s just a chip on our shoulder that we always carry. It’s just the media and all that. They question because we haven’t really played. So I’m just glad that we’re able to show ’em.”
The Celtics’ bench has firmly silenced those questions this season and especially over the last two months – and Pritchard has been at the head of the snake.
Pritchard, of course, publicly stated his desire for a bigger role last season while he was stuck in the guard pecking order behind Marcus Smart, Derrick White and Brogdon. But the Celtics held on to him, and reaffirmed their belief in him by trading Brogdon and giving him a contract extension. He’s rewarded them with consistent play, and he’s playing the best basketball of his career right now. Over the last five games – all Celtics wins – Pritchard is averaging 18.2 points and 8.0 assists per game, which included two starts.
His signature performance came in last Wednesday’s win over the Bucks, when he dominated the second quarter by contributing on 15 consecutive points and countless hustle plays, including one where he flew in for an offensive rebound over the 7-foot-1 Brook Lopez and drew a foul on him, which earned him a standing ovation from the TD Garden crowd. His impact has been everywhere, including on defense where coach Joe Mazzulla has constantly praised him for his toughness and described recently as underrated.
“I feel like my responsibility on this team is different every night,” Pritchard said. “I heard Joe talk about it, but it’s mostly energy and that can be offensively, defensively, rebounding. So for me, it’s just creating my game to be well-rounded.”
It hasn’t been just Pritchard, of course. Hauser, who suffered a mild ankle sprain that cut short a historic shooting performance last week, didn’t miss a beat in his return this weekend. He went 7-for-8 from 3-point land in Saturday’s win over the Bulls, and became the second player in the NBA this season to make at least 20 triples over a three-game span. The other? Steph Curry.
Hauser, who struggled to stay in the rotation last season, has been a consistent contributor off the bench this season. Mazzulla has called him an underrated defender, too, and coupled with his range – he’s shooting 43.9 percent from distance this season – it’s hard to take him off the floor. Hauser has earned a trust that wasn’t there last season.
“It’s just a comfort level of knowing that his teammates are looking for him,” Mazzulla told reporters in Chicago. “I think that’s really what it is. If you look at most of his 3s, they’re really good passes, timely passes into his shot, so I think it’s really that comfort level that he knows he’s going to get open and he knows the guys are going to see him.”
Of note: Hauser ranks second in the NBA with a 13.7 net rating, while Pritchard trails him closely with a 13.2 net rating.
They’ve helped lead a bench unit that has always been there for the Celtics when they’ve been needed this season. Horford has stepped up in spot starts or coming off the bench, as he showed again with 23 points and eight rebounds on Saturday. Luke Kornet continued his stellar play with 13 rebounds, including five offensive boards. Oshae Brissett has provided energy virtually every time he’s stepped on the floor, and did so again on Saturday.
Saturday’s win was a great example of just how reliable the bench has become. The Celtics were down three starters, on the second night of a back-to-back, but still overcame a 57.3 percent shooting performance from the Bulls on the strength of their depth. They did so by winning the margins that Mazzulla always preaches – beating the Bulls on the shot margin, second-chance points and the free throw line.
The Celtics improved to 8-0 when Jaylen Brown is out of the lineup, and they’re 4-1 without Jayson Tatum. During their current nine-game winning streak, the Celtics have had eight different starting lineups. They’re continuing to find ways to win games no matter who’s on the floor.
Of course, the Celics will need their stars to be who they are to win a championship. But as they clinch the No. 1 seed and coast to the regular season’s finish line, their bench is helping preserve them for the long run while also showing that they can be trusted this spring whenever they’re needed.
“Every time someone goes into the game, they know their minutes matter and they play the role they need to do to give us the best chance to win,” Mazzulla said. “It looks different every night, so it’s a credit to them.”
