Malcolm Brogdon Opens Up About Sacrificing as Celtics' Sixth Man: 'It’s Not Easy; It Really Isn’t'

The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year is averaging 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in the playoffs.

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"The Celtics, (president of basketball operations) Brad (Stevens), they were very upfront about that, coming off the bench, and I was all for it, am all for it," Malcolm Brogdon voiced after a late-season win against the Raptors.

The NBA's Sixth Man of the Year has embraced his shift, sacrificing a starting role in hopes of helping turn a title contender into a champion.

The former Virginia Cavalier averaged 14.9 points, the highest scoring average among players who didn't start in a regular-season game this season, pairing it with 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per contest.

He also nearly shot his way into the 50/40/90 club for the second time in his career, shooting 48.4 percent from the field, knocking down a career-best 44.4 percent of the 4.4 threes he hoisted, the fourth-highest accuracy rate in the NBA, and converting on 87 percent of his free throws.

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In the playoffs, Brogdon's generating 14.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game in 27.8 minutes per matchup.

Tuesday at the Auerbach Center, on the eve of Game 1 of his second trip to the Eastern Conference Finals, the veteran guard, who's hoping his seventh season has eight more Boston wins in it, opened up about coming off the bench, playing fewer minutes, and getting fewer shots than he's accustomed to.

"This is, I think, the easiest scenario I could have done it in, just the locker room we have, the teammates that I have, and the organization, the way they've welcomed me; the way they've embraced me," expressed Brogdon.

"But no, as far as personally, it’s not easy. It really isn’t. It wouldn't be easy on any team: Starting your whole career and then coming off the bench, but my teammates have made it a great experience for me, and (so have) Joe (Mazzulla) and the coaching staff, so it's something I really enjoy. And we're winning. We're winning at a high level. We're doing it together. Guys really enjoy each other on and off the court. I can't say that for all the teams I've been on, so this is special."

Further Reading

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