Boston Celtics’ biggest problem identified as Payton Pritchard named worst NBA player in key statistic

Payton Pritchard statistic highlights Boston Celtics’ biggest problem

Payton Pritchard averaged 14.3 points per game on 47 percent field goal efficiency last season.

This year, the 27-year-old is averaging 14.6 PPG on 41% shooting, so you may not immediately realize an issue with his performances.

However, the biggest difference in Pritchard’s game from last season to this is in his three-point shooting.

The point guard‘s three-point percentage has fallen from almost 41% to 18%, the worst of all qualifying NBA players.

Considering the Celtics take the most three-point shots (47.8 per game) and Pritchard is meant to be one of their most reliable shooters, this is a significant problem.

Meanwhile, Derrick White (25.4%) is also one of the 10 worst three-point shooters in the NBA this season, having made 38.4% of those shots last year.

So, the Celtics’ 3-4 start can probably be attributed to the woeful efficiency from their starting backcourt.

Payton Pritchard reacts to Boston Celtics loss vs Houston Rockets

In the Celtics’ most recent game, they lost 128-101 to the Houston Rockets at TD Garden.

But Pritchard, who scored 14 points, did not seem overly concerned in his post-game interview with reporters.

He suggested that heavy defeats are to be expected during the season and that the Rockets benefited from having more rest. 

“Even when we had a championship-level team, you get popped on some nights like this,” Pritchard said. “You just turn the page and get ready for the next games.

“There are 82 games; there’s a lot of traveling and back-to-backs at times, so it can be tiring. I think [the Rockets] came off two nights’ rest, so they showed it tonight and killed us.”