Boston’s bench unit is essential to their postseason success.
Before Jrue Holiday got to the Boston Celtics, he heard some chatter about some players on the team not being able to hold up on defense. Since he’s been in Boston, however, he’s come to realize the opposite. “Now that I got here, I’m like, they all play defense.”
And there’s been a certain group Holiday has been particularly impressed with.
“The white guys play defense,” Holiday said at practice on Sunday. “Everybody wants to go at them. but I think one-on-one, we’re pretty locked in on the defensive end.”
When the Celtics swapped out depth for star power this past summer, they did more than put their trust in Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis. They committed to Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser taking massive leaps. And they’ve done that.
Three games into Boston’s playoff run, the two-man tandem has rounded out a Celtics rotation that has been cut down to eight men. Pritchard has logged 69 minutes, and Hauser is at 49.
It’s no surprise,” Al Horford said of his fellow bench-mates. “They’ve been putting in the work since the beginning of camp. We’ve all come in together, and those guys have been very professional and committed to their approach. And it’s the carryover. They’ve been doing it all season, and I don’t expect any less from them. And I think now that the stage is bigger, I feel like the impact’s felt even more.”
Pritchard went through a grueling season last year. It led to trade requests and an uncertain future throughout the offseason, but the Holiday trade opened things up for him.
“It’s been great to see Payton’s progression,” Horford said. “He’s been patient. And it’s difficult when you’re a young guy, and you want to come in and play and have an impact. Having to wait. He’s taking advantage of the opportunities now. He’s starting to understand and find his way with us. So, it’s just been nice just to see him figure it out. Seeing how he can impact the game.
And he’s the kind of guy that you want to have on your team. He works hard, he competes, he’s all about the right things, and it‘s enjoyable to play with him. It’s fun to play with Payton.”
Meanwhile, Hauser has spent the past two regular seasons slowly earning the trust of Joe Mazzulla and his teammates. He barely played in last year’s playoff run, but now, he’s an every-night guy.
Their three-point shooting has been crucial to the Celtics’ 2-1 series lead over the Miami Heat. Pritchard has shot 3/7 (42.9%) from beyond the arc, while Hauser is a blistering-hot 7/15 (46.7%). But it’s not the only asset they bring to the table.
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