Payton Pritchard's 6MOY campaign draws support from opposing coach

Spoelstra complimented Pritchard's "grinding and working" that's made him an invaluable bench piece for the Celtics. This season, he's upped his scoring from 9.6 to 16.4 points per game and doubled his three-point output from 1.8 to 3.7 makes per game on a career-high 43.1 percent shooting.

What he added in Monday's 108-89 win was an inside game. At the end of the third quarter, he displayed a variation on his signature long-range buzzer-beaters by beating the clock on a nifty start-and-stop move in the paint.

It's the fourth straight game where Pritchard has scored 20 or more points, averaging 24.5 points in those games while shooting 55 percent. On Monday, the Celtics were missing three key players, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, and it didn't keep them from taking a 15-point halftime lead on the way to the win.

Pritchard is an overwhelming betting favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year (-230), but he's doing so well he should be considered a candidate for a different award: Most Improved Player.

Franz Wagner and Jalen Williams have the best odds, but they were lottery picks who had excellent seasons in 2023-24. Perhaps that's the nature of the award, which has gone to top-seven picks in three of the last four years. But Pritchard, with his grinding, seems to exemplify the spirit of "Most Improved" rather than a highly regarded prospect who finally lived up to expectations.

Until his MIP campaign catches up to the momentum, Pritchard will have to be happy with being the most dangerous bench player in the NBA this season. And enjoying Boston's 17-4 record.