Given how often he’s made, the Celtics have now come to expect Payton Pritchard’s long heaves at the buzzer. Their decisive victory over the Wizards was another example of Pritchard’s unique talent, but it was too late to tell.
Pritchard’s heaves are regarded by the G-League as a missed field goal attempt for the team rather than the player. After the game, Pritchard told reporters why he thinks the NBA need to follow suit.
“I think they should implement that in the NBA because… it’s not a normal three-point shot for some guys to take because it might hurt their percentages,” Pritchard stated. “The percentage doesn’t concern me because it has the power to completely alter a game’s flow. Examining the rule honestly is not a terrible idea.
Pritchard also recommended that the NBA alter the rules governing shots taken from halfcourt or beyond.
“I honestly think maybe at past halfcourt, they should think about adding it as a four-point play,” Pritchard stated. “It might be fascinating. I’ve seen rules with a four-point line in other countries. Make the halfcourt line a four-point play if it’s behind halfcourt, though I doubt we’ll ever do that.
Pritchard’s floor spacing for the Celtics against the Wizards was spot on, even though his most recent heave did not count. He finished the game with 15 points after making a total of five three-pointers.
