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Celtics player who should lose minutes
The 2023–24 season has been fantastic for the Boston Celtics. The Celtics are now atop the Eastern Conference with an impressive 26-6 record.
For the Bruins, Derrick White has been sensational, but Jrue Holiday has struggled this year. However, the playing time of one Celtics guard is still up for debate. Is Payton Pritchard deserving of having his bench time reduced?
Certainly, Payton Pritchard isn’t a terrible player. Averaging 7.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game, the fourth-year guard plays off the bench. When Boston’s starters aren’t available, he’s usually drafted to go in and get the offense going. Nonetheless, his playing time is in doubt due to his lack of significant production.
Without a question, Pritchard has helped the Celtics win their last six games. His scoring average in Boston’s past three games, though, is just nine.
The fact that Pritchard has averaged four or more rebounds in each of the past three games shows that he is capable of more than just scoring. His work is vital and should continue, but the starting lineup for Boston might get more touches if they could shoot and pass.
With his recent success, Derrick White deserves more playing time.
One of Boston’s guards has had an outstanding December, but Pritchard is a fantastic backup for the starting lineup. In addition to leading his team and playing tight defense, Derrick White has garnered notoriety for his clutch shooting.
The 29-year-old is the Celtics’ leading scorer with 17.0 points per game, as well as the team leader in assists with 5.3 and steals with 1.2 per game. His game against the Toronto Raptors on December 29 is illustrative of his exceptional contributions.
Both White’s оffensive and defensive skills were on full show. Several lead changes brought the game to a climаx, but White finally broke through in the final three minutes. He scored with conviction, zipped about the field on defense, and set up the аttаck.
Including two blocks, seven assists, five rebounds, and three steals, the veteran guard finished the game with a total of twenty-one points. His game against the Raptors was outstanding, but it barely scratches the surface of his worth to the club.
Undeniably, Derrick White is one of the top NBA role players, and he keeps proving it. His play on either end of the court is impressive.
Consequently, White should get more playing time while Payton Pritchard should get less. However, we must not ignore the obvious problem that exists.
Getting Jrue Holiday in a deal with the Celtics in October 2023 required a lot of roster cuts. Nonetheless, Holiday’s worth is obvious to everyone in the NBA.
Beyond his recent All-Star selection and All-Defensive performance, he has made significant contributions. He can be excused for his 2023-24 slump with the Boston Celtics.
In twenty23–24 for the Celtics, Holiday has averaged 13.1 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 4.7 assit, and 0.9 sv for the team. Three of those four statistical categories show a decline in his output when compared to the 2022–23 season. But there are good explanations for his poor performance that year.
On the court alongside Holiday were two of the league’s leading scorers, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kris Middleton. Nevertheless, he currently divides his time between the Celtics’ Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis. Obviously, his statistics are trending lower.