The Celtics survived Jrue Holiday’s absence — and Payton Pritchard was a big reason why

BOSTON — At a March shootaround in Miami earlier this season, Payton Pritchard emphasized the pride he’s taken in his defensive growth: the backup point guard told CelticsBlog he aspired to become one of the Celtics’ top defenders.

“I want to be that guy,” he said, explaining that he relishes the moments where opposing stars target him.

And, in a five-game playoff series against the Orlando Magic, Pritchard demonstrated those words don’t ring hollow: he’s become an asset on that end of the floor.

When Jrue Holiday went down with a hamstring strain after Game 2, the Celtics found themselves in a bind. Their most versatile defender, who primarily had the Paolo Banchero defensive assignment in the first two games, was suddenly sidelined.

Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said before Game 5 that game-planning against a Holiday-less Celtics team proved massively different than preparing for a fully-loaded one, rattling through the ways Holiday impacts the game.

“He adds so many small intangible things to this team,” Mosley said. “His toughness, his resolve on the court, he never gets rattled. He blows up all the things you’re trying to run.”

Then, unprompted, Mosley brought up the NBA’s’ Sixth Man of the Year.

“It’s just been Payton Pritchard who’s stepped into that role now,” he said. “He’s moved into the, ‘he’s gonna pick up full court [role].’ He’s gonna change the game.”

Offensively, it was an up-and-down playoff series for Pritchard after finishing the best regular season of his NBA career.

He averaged 9.2 points per game on 51.2% shooting in the first round, hitting 50% of his attempts from beyond the arc. His scoring contributions were particularly crucial in the first two games; he opened up the playoffs with a 19-point Game 1 barrage and followed that effort with a 14-point Game 2, shooting 11-for-19 in the wins. In Games 3 and 4, the Magic’s stifling defense relegated him to a more ancillary role on offense, as he converted only 1-of-4 field goal attempts across more than 50 minutes.

Still, he continued to impact winning, regardless of whether he found openings on offense.

With Jrue Holiday sidelined, Payton Pritchard made his mark defensively

“It’s something I want to be known for,” Pritchard told CelticsBlog after the Celtics’ close-out Game 5 victory. “I’ve said that, being a two-way player. I know people in the past wanted to say that I’ve maybe been a liability, but that’s something I’m trying to strive to overcome and be a great on-ball defender that can just take people out of a series.”

A younger Pritchard might’ve grown frustrated with his lack of scoring. Now, he viewed it as an opportunity to contribute elsewhere.

“Obviously, you want to score,” Pritchard said. “It’s not possible every game with the people we have on our team. Sometimes, they take that load and so, how can you make an impact? For me, it was every game, ball pressure, getting into the ball, making it tough every time.”

He held Banchero and Franz Wagner to a combined 3-for-11 shooting on switches, and the Magic referenced his ball pressure as part of the reason Orlando slowed down on offense.

“I probably figured they would (target me), but where I’m at my best is ball pressure, up high,” Pritchard said. “If I play them into my game, then I have the advantage. Obviously, if they catch it down on the block, they’re 6-10, that’s more their advantage. So if I can push the catches out and just make things tough every time, then I should be alright. That’s what I strive to do, and I felt like I did a good job.”

Eventually, Banchero and Wagner seemingly stopped hunting Pritchard altogether. Pritchard noticed it, too.

“They stopped going to it, because for them, it was having to work extra just to even get down there,” Pritchard said, adding he realized the Magic stars had to carefully think about their moves once they finally got the switch they pursued. “I think I did a good job in that area.”

In the series finale, Orlando’s players shot 3-for-11 when guarded by Pritchard.

Still, Payton Pritchard wasn’t trying to replace Jrue Holiday

Holiday, whose NBA contemporaries routinely praise as one of the best guard defenders in the modern era, remains day-to-day with a right hamstring strain that the Celtics have shared little information about.

And, while he’s out, Pritchard made clear he wasn’t trying to be Jrue Holiday.

“I was just trying to play hard,” he said, adding a line that Celtics players often utter: “Jrue’s unbelievable.”

Al Horford noted that Holiday’s defensive impact is immeasurable, but nonetheless agreed with Mosley’s perception that Pritchard had stepped up in his absence.

“I felt like Payton, all series, his ball pressure, his impact was noticeable,” Horford said. “He was just trying to find ways to impact the game, to impact winning. Payton was key for us there.

Pritchard’s Celtics teammates have a first-hand appreciation of what that relenting ball pressure is like.

“Going up against somebody like Payton is difficult — I’d hate to do it,” Holiday said earlier this season. “Sometimes you just like the easy games, especially when you’re in the backcourt. Payton makes it difficult.”

Pritchard will work to limit his single-digit scoring games as the Celtics’ postseason run continues. But they don’t dictate his effectiveness.

Regardless of whether the shots fall — or if he gets the attempts in the first place — he ensures his defense isn’t impacted.

“I just try to leave my impact on stuff I can control,” he said. “Sometimes, I can’t control if I’m gonna get shots… I can control my effort defensively and trying to rebound.”