Payton Pritchard’s minutes and role were all over the place last year. Consequently, his performance also improved.

With the best оffensive rating (122.6) and secоnd-best net rating (+13.6) in the NBA this seasоn, he has been оne оf the mоst reliable reserves in the league.

Lаst night, in а rоut оf the Hоrnets, Pritchаrd scоred 31 pоints, а cаreer high, оn 14-22 shооting. He аlsо grаbbed 3 rebоunds, hаd 11 аssists, аnd а steаl. He expressed his utmоst pride in the bаlаnced stаt line, which included bоth scоring аnd plаymаking, in his pоstgаme remаrks.Pritchard, who has been a consistent spark of energy and a dependable playmaker since signing a four-year agreement in the winter, had an outstanding season, and this was the ideal way to close it off. His more consistent role, he said, was the key to his success this year.

Spot minutes are difficult for any player because they are unpredictable, according to Pritchard. How will you contribute after you have the minutes? For what purpose are you being exposed to the public?

Pritchard had a career-low 5.6 points per game last season in 48 games played, averaging 13.4 minutes per night while shooting 41.2% from the field.He has started every game this season and is averaging 22 minutes per game while serving as the starting point guard backup. His improved efficiency has paid dividends; he now records career highs in scoring (9.2 points) on 45.9% shooting, assists (3.3 per game), and rebounds (3.2 per game).

“Back in the day, my role wasn’t always to be a playmaker or point guard; it was more about trying to make a few threes, bringing some energy to the defense, grabbing boards, and that kind of thing,” Pritchard recalled. As a result of the increased responsibility placed on me this year, I’ve honed my playmaking skills and been an asset to my squad.

Because of his playmaking role, Pritchard has been very successful. Among players who have played in 60 games and averaged 20 minutes per night, only Tyus Jones, Tyrese Haliburton, and Fred Van Fleet have better assist-to-turnover ratios than him (4.56).

Ultimately, Pritchard hopes to have excelled as a real point guard by the time his career comes to a close. “That’s where I’d like to leave it, but it’s certainly an ongoing process, and I’m eager to keep plugging away at it.”

As he has done throughout the year, Joe Mazzulla stated last night that Pritchard has developed into a full-fledged basketball player. He competes fiercely on both ends of the court and has no obvious shortcomings. He made note of the fact that this is Pritchard’s first season with a clearly defined job and the opportunity to play regular minutes in his four-year career.

“Depending on the night, it could be shooting, ball handling, defense, or rebounding,” Mazzulla explained. At the end of each quarter, he proudly scans the floor, and at the beginning of each quarter, he takes great pleasure in game management. Witnessing him play has been a true pleasure.