Boston Celtics rookie point guard Payton Pritchard has been playing like one of the best young talents of his 2020 rookie class, and if he can manage to keep his efficiency up, the Oregon product could conceivably make history.
Returning to action against the Los Angeles Clippers for the first time since spraining his knee two weeks ago in a game with the Philadelphia 76ers, FastPP shot an efficient 3-of-4 from the field and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. And that’s been a pretty typical night in terms of efficiency with the West Linn native hitting 50% of his field goals, 44.2% of his treys, and 90% of his free throws more than a quarter-way through the 2020-21 season.
Payton Pritchard is shooting 50% from the field, 44.2% from 3-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line. If he maintains that pace, he would be the first rookie in NBA history to produce a 50/40/90 season.
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) February 6, 2021
While there’s a long way yet to go to close it out, if Pritchard keeps pace he would become the first rookie in the history of the league to make the coveted “50-40-90” club of players hitting at least 50% of their total shots, 40% from 3 and 90% from the line according to team reporter Taylor Snow.
There’s a reason why it’d be historic, and chances are higher he’ll drop below one of the three indicators to end the season if not more, but Pritchard is very quietly looking like one of the better slam-dunks of a draft pick made in the 2020 draft.
