Where Payton Pritchard stands in Sixth Man of the Year race originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
Payton Pritchard spent his first four NBA seasons as the most underrated player on the Boston Celtics’ stacked roster. So far in Year 5, the sharpshooter’s contributions have been impossible to overlook.
Pritchard made a name for himself nationally with multiple half-court buzzer-beaters during Boston’s 2024 NBA championship run. This season, he’s getting the national attention he deserves as arguably the best bench player in the league.
The 26th overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has averaged 16.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.9 assists through 21 games off the bench. He has been the spark plug for the reigning champions on their quest for a repeat, and that has been reflected in the 2024 NBA Sixth Man of the Year race.
Here are the Sixth Man of the Year odds as of Dec. 3, via Fanatics Sportsbook:
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Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics: -250
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Amen Thompson, Houston Rockets: +1000
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Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors: +2000
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Tari Eason, Houston Rockets: +2000
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Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers: +2500
It’s no surprise Pritchard is the heavy favorite to win the award. The 26-year-old’s consistency has been key to the Celtics’ 17-4 start to the campaign. In Monday’s win over the Miami Heat, he became the first player this season to score at least 20 points in four straight games off the bench. He’s the first Celtic to accomplish that feat since Isaiah Thomas in 2015.
The Celtics rewarded Pritchard with a four-year, $30 million contract extension in Oct. 2023. That deal has proven to be one of the best bargains in the league and among the many slam dunks for Brad Stevens in his tenure as president of basketball operations.
This post will be updated periodically throughout the season with updates on Pritchard’s Sixth Man of the Year odds.
