Blake Griffin said Payton Pritchard was so shy and so scrawny that he knew he had to be "nasty" on the court if Oklahoma was recruiting him.

Blake Griffin and Payton Pritchard met at a Los Angeles Clippers game when Pritchard was just 16 years old before they knew they’d end up teammates on the Boston Celtics.

Former Celtics coach Ime Udoka reflected on Payton Pritchard's lack of playing time, and how far the Celtics guard has come.

Former Celtics big Blake Griffin recalls a time when he played Payton Pritchard, and revealed how he knew Pritchard would be good.

Udoka, now coaching the Rockets, saw Pritchard step into an important role as the Celtics marched to the 2022 NBA Finals before losing to the Warriors.

On this day in Celtics history, former Boston point guard Tony Delk was born, and guard Bobby Wilson was signed.

Still, Pritchard saw his minutes sink to 13.1 per game in his third season -- when Mazzulla took over for Udoka, who was suspended for violating team policies -- and he played in just 48 regular-season games after averaging 68 the two seasons before.

Strong options off the bench an essential piece for any contending team during the taxing 82-game season and the intense postseason that follows. A good bench can help pick up the slack if a star player is having an off night, or if the team is dealing with injury woes.

Unable to place full faith in Payton Pritchard as the current favorite for NBA Sixth Man of the Year, Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick review favorable odds for several players vying for the award.

Pritchard closed with 15 points (5-7 FG, 5-6 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists and one steal over 31 minutes during Monday's 114-112 loss to the Rockets. Derrick White (leg) was unavailable and Al Horford (toe) was later reported as a late scratch,

Quiet again Saturday

They're the reigning NBA champions, but some members of the Boston Celtics could take a lesson or two on local geography. During a first quarter timeout of last night's game against the Chicago Bulls, the video board at TD Garden showed several members of the Celtics attempting to pronounce the word "Worcester."