Celtics Guard Sees Massive Jump in 2K Rating After Strong Play

The Celtics have a lot of good players. One of them just just got a big boost in their 2K rating.

Dec 19, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts after called for a technical foul as they take on the Chicago Bulls in the second half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The primary thing that makes the Boston Celtics so dangerous is that they don't have many holes in their roster. Their starting five might be the strongest starting lineup in the NBA. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to play at an All-Star level, and both should make the team.

Those two players are expected to play well every single game. They are the two franchise players, Boston still has a lot of other good players on the roster, including on the bench. One player who has broken out this season from that bench unit is guard Payton Pritchard.

Pritchard has turned into a key piece of their team. After signing a four-year $30 million deal, he already is looking like a bargain for the Celtics. He is setting career highs in almost all of his stats, including points per game, rebounds per game, steals per game, minutes per game, and shooting percentage.

Pritchard is averaging a whopping 16 points per game off the bench on an impressive 48% shooting from the field. He's also hitting 43% of his threes, by far a career-best. He's closing some games for Boston too, which shows how much he's improved on the defensive end of the floor.

All of this impressive play has given him a big boost in his 2K rating.

#2KRatings 📈 pic.twitter.com/DKM6R0h7e2

— NBA 2K (@NBA2K) December 19, 2024

Pritchard is now rated 83 overall, which might look low by the end of the season. His offensive ratings remain high, although his inside shooting rating isn't great. He has to be happy that his 2K rating is rising. The players in the NBA really care where they are rated in the video game.

Of course, having his 2K rating rise isn't the primary thing he's looking for. The number one thing he's worried about is helping the Celtics win a championship for the second straight year. Anything after that is gravy for him, although he's setting the tone to grab a starting spot in Boston soon.

Jrue Holiday isn't getting any younger. It's unclear how much longer he wants to play in the NBA. He could retire soon. If he does, Pritchard is showing that he is capable of taking over that starting point guard spot and being a solid starter for a championship-level team.

This probably won't be the only rise in Pritchard's 2K rating before the end of the year, either. He's only going to get better as the year goes on.

More Celtics news: Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla Admits He Doesn't Watch NBA Games