Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon is making 45.1% of his three-point attempts this season, which represents a career high and places him third in the NBA. Speaking to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, Brogdon suggested that his strong shooting performance is a result of his complementary role, as well as having teammates like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown to draw the attention of opposing defenses, which wasn’t the case in Indiana.
“I think I’m less run down,” Brogdon said. “When I was with the Pacers, I had to do a lot. I had to run the show, I had to guard the best player, I had to do a lot. Here, I don’t have to do that. I don’t have all the responsibility. I have a role to play and I specialize in that role.”
Brogdon’s numbers in both Milwaukee and Indiana suggest there may be something to his theory. During his three years as a Pacer, he had a 25.3% usage rate and knocked down a respectable 35.2% of his three-pointers. The last time he had a usage rate lower than this season’s 22.5% was with the Bucks in 2018/19, when he converted 42.6% of his attempts from beyond the arc.
Here’s more on the Celtics:
- Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, who has been out since March 6 due to a left heel injury, went through a live workout on Thursday and has a chance to return to action before the regular season ends, according to head coach Joe Mazzulla (Twitter links via Jared Weiss of The Athletic). Pritchard was upgraded from out to doubtful for Friday’s game vs. Indiana.
- Boston held the No. 1 seed in the East for much of the season, but has slipped to second and is just a half-game ahead of the No. 3 Sixers. Still, guard Derrick White said the Celtics – who made last year’s NBA Finals as a No. 2 seed – aren’t too concerned about where they end up. “If we get the one seed, it’s cool,” White said, per Souichi Terada of MassLive.com. “If we don’t, it’s the same. We didn’t have it last year so we just want to keep playing the best basketball going into the playoffs, whether we are the No. 1, 2 or 3 (seed). It doesn’t matter.”
- Robert Williams came off the bench in his return to action on Tuesday following an eight-game injury absence. While Williams may reclaim his starting spot once he gets up to speed, Mazzulla isn’t willing to commit to that plan quite yet, according to Terada. “It’s just going to depend on who we’re playing, who else is healthy and what the matchups are,” the head coach said. “So Grant (Williams) has started, Derrick has started and Rob has started. … So putting our team in a bind like, ‘This is our starting lineup,’ just doesn’t maximize our roster and the lineups that we can play. So we just have to see.”
- In the wake of Jaylen Brown‘s noncommittal comments about his long-term future in Boston, Sean Deveney of Heavy.com spoke to some rival executives to get their thoughts on which teams might make sense as landing spots for the star wing if he doesn’t re-sign with the Celtics. Brown’s current contract runs through 2024.
Have to wonder if Pritchard is really hurt or if they are sending a message since he spoke out of turn around the trade deadline. Methinks Mazulla has his own brand of discipline, even if he looks calm on the surface…
How did he speak out of turn? He expressed his frustration that he wasnt traded because he isnt playing, yet he has never requested a trade or sat out and pouted like jae crowder. He is a prime example of what you should do when you know your place in the league, I actually think alot of stars could learn something from this kid instead of crying all the time and trading their players away for their friends.
Are you kidding? If he is unhappy, fine, but how does he let the media get wind of it? He was sending a message and now he gets the stick.
That’s the kind of info you talk about privately with GM, otherwise you or your agent is using it as leverage and guess what? Don’t be afraid if they leverage it right back. I like Pritchard but I worry he now has a target on his back.
Dafuq? You said he was frustrated he wasn’t traded but then say he hasn’t requested to be traded. Does common sense even exist anymore?
If he requests to be traded that is between him and the team, is my point. Once he tells the media, well, deal with the consequences.
And don’t you dare question my common sense again.
I watched the game he got hurt. He was visibly favoring one foot as he walked off the court.
Brown is as good as gone.
I think he’s going to look to somewhere close to his home state Georgia. Atlanta, Miami, Orlando, Charlotte. I think Charlotte could be appealing to him. There he could be the #1 scoring option but still play with a great talent in LaMelo who likes to pass the ball, instead of standing around watching Tatum ballhog.
Miami would also be a great fit, especially with his relationship with Butler, but Miami got some cap issues.
ATL gets Jaylen Brown and Grand Williams
BOS gets John Collins and Okongwu
Reading the article I’m delighted about Malcolm Brogdon & Derrick White’s comments! Great teammates! Go Celtics!
But once, again I’m disappointed in Coach Mazzulla’s thinking. Not starting Rob? Making it sound like Timelord’s not a special & unique player? That we’ll be just as good with about anyone else starting? We diehard & long time fans know Timelord makes this roster special & to denigrate him, to demotivate him at all, is wrong. Rob’s likely cool about it because he seems very mature. But why not bring Jason or Jaylen off the bench as well? Go Celts!
All he is saying is he wants roster flexibility so he isn’t committing to a publicly announced starting 5, nor should he. Why limit yourself?
Not to mention Rob was out for a while and is still ramping up. It will be Okay.
“Roster flexibility?” You can have that with Timelord starting. Coach is just not into defense and without defense the Celtics & all NBA teams are about equal. It’s also an honor to start and a motivator. You think Smart, Tatum or Brown would like coming off the bench? The more motivated you are the harder you try and the better you play. Go Celtics!
Love Derrick White too!
Rob is not on the same level as those guys. And smart could very well come off the bench by the time the season is over. I dont know. I dont know how much players look at starting as motivation. Still think Rob needs a few more games to earn it back. Just my opinion.
Sure, Rob doesn’t score but a healthy Rob is the special player who can win us the title. Last he was injured & our team lost its defense & the title. Did you see him change the game last night against the Pacers? 3 steals, 3 blocks, 8 boards, 2 offensive in just 16 minutes. Other teams are intimidated to drive or shoot 3’s knowing he can & does their 3 point attempts.
Hopefully Coach is working him back in slowly knowing his worth. I believe Timelord is the key to our title hopes. Go Celtics!
Smart is not going to come off the bench! You see how he and Coach are close. Bringing Smart off the bench would cause dissension. That’s just more talk for the sake of argument.
And Rob doesn’t need to earn anything. His game is his game & well known. And unique! And team oriented! We can’t ask for more. Timelord is our special sauce. But I admit, Coach Joe does have a great alternative with Derrick White playing at All-Star level.
Boy, is President Brad Stevens smart & earning his money … although he did let Mo Wagner & Bol Bol get away. No one is perfect.
Go Celtics!
Couple of points jaylen not going anywhere especially if he makes one of the three all nba teams then boston will sign him to a super max deal and regarding rob williams he has the makings of becoming a elite big man but right they have to monitor his playing time and allowing the front 5 consistency and with rob Williams injury history it makes more sense having him come of the bench
Timelord is elite right now.
You have to play to be elite
“Consistency?” I’ve seen Blake, Grant & others start. Hauser too, With Al & Timelord in there we hold our own on the boards with blocks & offensive boards and blocking out so that Tatum gets his 9 defensive boards. I’m hoping for Al & Timelord to play together a lot.
Go Celtics!