I never thought……

Never did I think it would happen. I spent a lot of years grinding away in the sports content creation game. Creating podcasts, Youtube videos, A failed play by play social sports app, and so much more. Sometimes with great success sometimes with absolute failure so imagine my surprise when my good friend and host of the Sportsocracy on youtube and ESPN Radio Asheville asked me “can you get to Indy?”. Could I? For once I was able to make the ask happen. In one week I went from expecting to watch the combine on youtube and TV to landing in Indianapolis and going live on ESPN Radio in Western North Carolina.

The trip was a whirlwind and im not sure we slept more then 20 hours over 7 days (probably more but it didnt feel like it) Got my very first official Media credential (thank you iHeart Asheville) got to listen to media availability for every coach, GM and player at the combine. Got to rub elbows with Rap sheet and other NFL insiders and most important of all I got to hang out and learn more about what goes on behind the scenes of NFL media, ESPN Radio and creating quality youtube content. I have hundreds of stories including some fast food adventures, an insider out and about at nearly 3am and more but for now I just leave you with a massive amount of gratitude. If youve supported me or dubs at any point. Thank you.

A Swiss army knife by any other name

The 6th man. The Swiss Army knife of a basketball team. The Energizer bunny. Ready and waiting when you call their name, the 6th man can be as crucial a part of the team as any of your starters. While Payton Pritchard made his presence known to the casual fan with his half court heroics in the NBA finals last year, Celtics fans have known for a long time that he’s our most precious hidden gem. Since his run at Oregon I’ve had my eye on 11. When the Celtics drafted him i was ecstatic but there was a bit of a log jam at guard. His production when he did find minutes was solid and there was certainly potential but several times over the first few years of his career it appeared he was destined to find a larger role elsewhere. In comes Brad Stevens. It should be absolutely illegal to go from Danny Ainge to Brad Stevens at GM. Brad swindled a deal to keep Pritchard in town long term on a BARGAIN look at this contract…

Crimes. 

Pritchard is averaging 14.5 points a game almost 4 rebounds and 3.5 assists off the bench on an astounding 47% shooting. When he catches fire he can turn it up to Steph temperatures and i don’t throw that around lightly. Watch the trailblazers game, while that was his career high that’s far from a one off. There’s a certain intensity you can see in his eyes when a couple threes go through and he activates like the winter soldier. He’s on pace to have the most threes in a season by a non starter in nba history. He’s come dangerously close to breaking the Celtics single game record for threes made SEVERAL times this season. He and D-White just combined for the most threes ever by two teammates (splash brothers where you at?) He’s coming off a 43 point performance where Tatum KP and Holliday were all out and he’s about to win a sixth man of the year on the road to becoming a back to back NBA champion. Translation: HE’S HIM. just because he’s the 6th or 7th best player on the Celtics doesn’t mean he couldn’t be putting up 25 a night anywhere else in the league. 

Did i mention he’s humble too? You have to be when you know your skill set can compete with top guards in the league and you don’t get those kind of touches. Pritchard had this to say about not forcing shots to break the single game record: “That’s disrespectful to the game, disrespectful to my teammates. If I got in the flow and took a shot that was a good shot for us, and I broke it that way, then that's the right way to do it”. What makes PP such a good 6th man is he settles into what role he needs to play to give the team the best chance to win. When his time comes like it did on Wednesday he doesn’t disappoint. That was far from a must win game for the C’s but Pritchard has a knack for knowing when his moment arrises and those moments seem to be becoming more frequent. 

If this is the type of production that Celtics can get from any one of their top 6-7 guys who can realistically stop you in a 7 game series? If it can be White and Pritchard going for 40+ on any night and you have to account for Tatum Brown Porzingis and Holliday on top of that what is your defense really supposed to do? You may beat us on a night but can you beat us 4 times? When Pritchard is ON it’s hard to believe anybody can. He’s the 6th man of the year and it’s not close. The Celtics aren’t at their best yet so enjoy the wins you can pick off of them now because they’re gonna be hard to come by here coming up. This was supposed to be a short piece but I’m apparently incapable of doing that and turned this into a several paragraph Payton Pritchard suck fest. But i appreciate anybody taking the time to read my stuff.

Check out Great North sports live every Wednesday at 8:00 EST, Twitter YouTube etc. check out the half ounce half hour with Myself Mark and Josh every other Thursday on the Stoned Sports YouTube and Twitch.